Rewritable optical recording medium, recording method on the same, and optical disc recording/retrieving apparatus

ABSTRACT

In a rewritable compact disc having a wobble groove on a substrate, crystal and amorphous states of a phase-change recording layer are an unrecorded/erased state and a recorded state, respectively. When the recording layer is exposed to recording light, amorphous marks assuming the recorded state are formed. At any of 2-, 4- and 8-times velocities with respect to a reference velocity (1-times velocity) whose linear velocity is 1.2-1.4 m/s, modulation m 11  of a recorded signal when the recording light of approximately 780 nm in wavelength irradiates the recording layer via an optical system with NA=0.5 or 0.55 is 60-80%. A topmost level R top  of reflectivity of the eye pattern of the recorded signal during retrieving at the 1-times velocity is 15-25%, and a jitter of the individual length of marks and inter-mark spaces during retrieving at 1-times velocity is 35 ns or less. Recording at 8-times or higher velocities is thereby realized without any risk of impairing the read-compatibility with the conventional CD-RW specifications at least at 4-times velocity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a rewritable phase-change mediumread-compatible with a compact disc, a recording method and arecording/retrieving apparatus for the medium. More particularly theinvention concerns an improvement of overwriting performance at the4-times or higher velocity.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally compact discs (CD) are mediums to and from which a binarysignal is recorded and a tracking signal is detected utilizingmodulation of reflectivity resulting from interference of reflectedlight from the bottoms of phase-depth modulated pits and the mirrorsurface.

Recently, as a medium read-compatible with CD, a rewritable compact disc(CD-RW, CD-Rewritable) of phase-change type has been used (“CD-ROMProfessional” published in the United States, September 1996, pp. 29-44or Assembly of Manuscripts for Phase-Change Optical Recording Symposium,1995, pp. 41-45).

The phase-change CD-RW detects a recorded information signal utilizingthe change in reflectivity due to the refractivity difference betweenthe crystal and amorphous states. The usual phase-change medium has amulti-layer structure including a lower protective layer, a phase-changerecording layer, an upper protective layer and a reflective layer, whichare disposed on a substrate one over another; utilizing multipleinterference of these layers, the reflectivity difference and the phasedifference are controlled to give a read-compatibility with CD. InCD-RW, the term “recording” means overwriting that is to erase existingdata by writing new data, namely, to erase and record at the same time.

To this end, although the read-compatibility with CD inclusive of ashigh a reflectivity as 70% or more is difficult to achieve, theread-compatibility with CD can be secured in respect of the recordedsignal and groove signal as long as the requirement for the reflectivityis allowed to be above 15% and below 25%. If an amplifier system forcovering lowness of the reflectivity is added to a retrieving system, itis possible to realize retrieving by the current CD drive.

One of the common problems with CD-RW is slowness of the recording speedand data transfer rate.

The reference velocity (hereinafter also called the 1-times velocity)during recording/retrieving of CD is a linear velocity of from 1.2 to1.4 m/s. For CD-ROM, high-speed retrieving of roughly 40-times velocityat maximum has already been realized; low-speed retrieving of 1-timesvelocity is limited to retrieving of music and image. Generally, for upto 16-times velocity, retrieving is made in a constant linear velocity(CLV) mode, which is the original mode of CD, and for 24- to 40-timesvelocities, retrieving is made in a constant angular velocity (CAV) modeto make a remarkable increase in data transfer rate and user data areaand decrease seek time on the outer periphery of the recording area.

Attempts have been made to increase the recording speed in CD-RW. Tothis end, recording in CLV mode has become possible at only 1- through4-times velocities. Usually, with CD-RW, it takes 74 minutes (or 63minutes) to make recording throughout the entire recording area at the1-times velocity, and it still takes 20 minutes to do so even at the4-times velocity. But it takes only 10 minutes or less to record at the8-times velocity or more, widening applications of CD-RW to recording ofbulk data such as music and video.

External storage devices of the current computers are chiefly in theform of magneto-optical recording mediums (MO) whose data transfer rateis fast; if the data transfer rate of CD-RW could be increased, it islikely that such usage would be extended.

Consequently a phase-change medium with which faster recording ispossible and a recording method for the medium have been cherished.

However, such CD-RW enabling recording at higher linear velocities hasnot yet been realized. It has been technically difficult to realize amedium that enables overwriting through a wide linear velocity range,whose low speed end is 1- and 2-times velocities and high speed end is8- to 10-times velocities, without any risk of impairing theread-compatibility with existing CD-RW recording system overwritable atbetween 1- and 4-times velocity. This is true because the current mediumand the recording method respectively encounter the following twoproblems:

The first problem is that it is difficult to resolve a trade-off inshort-time erasure requirement by high-speed crystallization ofamorphous marks and archival stability requirement of amorphous marks.

For example, AgInSbTe popular as material of the recording layer ofCD-RW for recording at 1- through 4-times velocities could allowhigh-speed crystallization and hence 8-times-velocity recording if thecontent of Sb is relatively increased.

But according to studies of the present inventors, simply increasing thecontent of Sb would seriously impair the archival stability of amorphousmarks so that the amorphous marks would disappear so as to be no longerretrievable within 1 or 2 years in room temperature and otherwise withinseveral days in a high-temperature environment of 50-80° C. inside therecording apparatus. More serious, it turned out that amorphous markswould begin to disappear when retrieving has been repeated hundreds tothousands times by irradiation with laser beam with the power below 1 mWso that reliability for a recording medium could not be guaranteed.

Additionally, CD-RW has to be read-compatible in retrieving with thewidely popular retrieving-dedicated CD-ROM drive. For example, forread-compatibility, it would be essential to satisfy high modulation ina range of 55-70% and reflectivity in a range of 15-25% as well as otherservo signal characteristics.

The second problem is that according to CD-RW specifications, fairlystrict recording pulse strategies (divided pulse method) arestandardized. For example, recording at a wide range of linearvelocities, from 4-times velocity to 8- through 10-times velocities mustbe carried out by the recording pulse strategy of FIG. 4, or a modifiedpulse strategy which is an analogy and does not require a considerablereconstruction of the current recording pulse strategy generation ICcircuit, according to CD-RW specifications as normalized by Orange BookPart 3, Version 2.0.

In FIG. 1, (a) depicts the data signal having EFM-modulated time lengthsof 3T through 11T, and (b) depicts the laser power of actual recordinglight generated based on the data signal. Pw is the recording power forforming amorphous marks by melting and then rapidly cooling therecording layer, and Pe is the erasure power for erasing bycrystallizing amorphous marks. Usually, the bias power Pb issubstantially the same as the retrieving power Pr of retrieving light.

When mark-length-modulated information is recorded on a phase-changemedium in terms of different mark lengths, the ratio of the maximum tothe minimum of the linear velocities in use is limited to nearly 2 timeswhen the recording pulse strategy is strictly fixed.

Since many of the current CD-RW writers recordable at 4-times velocitycan generate only a fixed waveform in accordance with the recordingpulse strategy defined in the above-mentioned specifications, it wasvery difficult to realize high-speed recording at least at 8- through10-times velocities without any risk of impairing the read-compatibilitywith these existing writers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With the foregoing problems in view, it is a first object of the presentinvention to provide a rewritable medium having a read-compatibilitywith CD with respect to the recorded signal format by recording the marklengths of amorphous marks by EFM modulation, namely, by combining marklengths and inter-mark lengths of 3T through 11T with the data referenceclock period T, and also a recording method for the medium.

Another object of the present invention to provide a rewritable compactdisc which enables high-speed recording at 8-times or higher velocitywith retaining the most feasible read-compatibility with theconventional CD-RW specifications for at least 4-times velocity, andalso a recording method for the medium.

Here the “most feasible” read-compatibility means the ability such as tocope with recording at at least 4-times velocity only by changingfirmware rather than changing hardware.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provideda rewritable optical recording medium comprising a substrate having awobble groove, and a phase-change recording layer, wherein a crystalstate of the recording layer is an unrecorded or erased state and anamorphous state of the recording layer is a recorded state, andamorphous marks corresponding to the recorded state are formed byrecording light

-   -   after an EFM-modulated signal is recorded by an overwriting        operation ten times in the recording layer at the 8-times        velocity V as high as eight times of a reference velocity        (1-times velocity) V₁, which is a linear velocity of 1.2 m/s,        with a data reference clock period T retained so as to satisfy        VT=V₁T₁ (where T₁ is 231 ns) under one selected from various        conditions of the following recording method 1:    -   a modulation m₁₁ of an eye pattern of the recorded signal        obtained as retrieved at the 1-times velocity is 60-80%,    -   a topmost level R_(top) of reflectivity of the eye pattern of        the recorded signal obtained as retrieved at the 1-times        velocity is 15-25%, and    -   a jitter of the individual length of marks and inter-marks        obtained as retrieved at the 1-times velocity are equal to or        less than 35 ns.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a rewritableoptical recording medium comprising a substrate having a wobble groove,and a phase-change recording layer, wherein a crystal state of therecording layer is an unrecorded or erased state and an amorphous stateof the recording layer is a recorded state, and amorphous markscorresponding to the recorded state are formed by recording light

-   -   after an EFM-modulated signal is recorded by an overwriting        operation ten times in the recording layer at a 10-times        velocity V as high as 10 times of a reference velocity (1-times        velocity) V₁, which is a linear velocity of 1.2 m/s, with a data        reference clock period T retained so as to satisfy VT=V₁T₁        (where T₁ is 231 ns) under one selected from various conditions        of the following recording method 1′,    -   a modulation m₁₁ of an eye pattern of the recorded signal        obtained as retrieved at the 1-times velocity is 60-80%,    -   a topmost level R_(top) of reflectivity of the eye pattern of        the recorded signal obtained as retrieved at the 1-times        velocity is 15-25%, and    -   a jitter of the individual length of amorphous marks and        inter-marks obtained as retrieved at the 1-times velocity are        equal to or less than 35 ns.

The recording method 1′ is carried out by exposing the recording layerto recording light of a 780 nm wavelength via an optical system whosenumerical aperture (NA) is 0.55 or 0.5, with the time length of theindividual amorphous mark being nT (n is an integer within a range offrom 3 to 11), in the following manner:

-   -   during that time, erasure power Pe, which is able to crystallize        the individual amorphous-state portions, irradiates inter-mark        portions between the individual recorded marks,    -   for the recorded marks, the time length (n−j)T is divided into        α₁T, β₁T, α₂T, β₂T, . . . , α_(m)T, β_(m)T (where m=n−1, α₁=1.0,        α_(i)=0.5 (i is an integer within a range of from 2 to m),        β_(m)=from 0.25 to 0.75, α_(i)+β_(i-1)=1.0 (i is an integer        within a range of from 2 to m)) in this sequence so as to        satisfy Σ_(i)(α_(i)+β_(i))=n−j (j is a real number within a        range of from 0 to 2.0),    -   within the time length α_(i)T (i is an integer within a range of        from 1 to m), the recording light, whose record power Pw is        enough to melt said recording layer, irradiates the recording        layer (where Pw is 14 to 25 mW and Pe/Pw=0.5), and    -   within the time length β_(i)T (i is an integer within a range of        from 1 to m), the recording light of bias power Pb of 0.8 mW        irradiates the recording layer.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provideda method of recording EFM-modulated information in terms of differentmark lengths on a rewritable disc-shaped optical recording medium havinga phase-change recording layer by CLV (constant linear velocity)operation, said method being carried out in the following manner:

-   -   when an individual recorded mark has a time length nT (T is the        data reference clock period, and n is an integer within a range        of from 3 to 11),    -   recording light of erasure power Pe, which is able to        crystallize an amorphous-state portion, irradiates inter-mark        portions,    -   for the recorded marks, the time length (n−j)T is divided into        α₁T, β₁T, α₂T, β₂T, . . . , α_(m)T, β_(m)T (where m=n−1 or        m=n−2) in this sequence so as to satisfy Σ_(i)(α_(i)+β_(i))=n−j        (j is a real number within a range of 0.0≦j≦2.0), and    -   the recording light of recording power Pw (Pw>Pe), which is able        to melt the recording layer within the time length α_(i)T        (1≦i≦m), irradiates the recording layer, and the recording light        of bias power Pb (0<Pb≦0.5Pe) within the time length β_(i)T        (1≦i≦m) the recording layer to overwrite; and    -   when a linear velocity within a range of 1.2 m/s to 1.4 m/s is        the reference velocity (1-times velocity) and 231 nsec (ns) is a        reference clock period,    -   (1) for the 4-times velocity, α_(i)=from 0.3 to 1.5, α_(i)=from        0.2 to 0.7 (2≦i≦m), α_(i)+β_(i-1)=from 1 to 1.5 (2≦i≦m),    -   (2) for the 1- or the 2-times velocity, α₁=from 0.05 to 1.0,        α_(i)=from 0.05 to 0.5 (2≦i≦m), α_(i)+β_(i-1)=from 1 to 1.5        (3≦i≦m), and    -   (3) for any of 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-times velocities, α₁=from 0.3        to 2, α_(i)=from 0.3 to 1 (2≦i≦m), α_(i)+β_(i-1)=from 1 to 1.5        (3≦i≦m).

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provideda method of recording various mark and inter-mark lengths in terms ofEFM-modulated information on a rewritable disc-shaped optical recordingmedium having a predetermined recording area by CAV (constant angularvelocity) operation, in which the recording medium is rotated at aconstant angular velocity, said method being carried out in thefollowing manner:

-   -   when a linear velocity within a range of from 1.2 m/s to 1.4 m/s        is a reference velocity (1-times velocity), the disc-shaped        optical recording medium is rotated in a way that a linear        velocity at an outermost periphery of the recording area is as        high as 10 times of the reference velocity,    -   if a time length of an individual recorded mark is nT (T is a        data reference clock period varying according to its radial        position in a way that a product VT (V is a linear velocity in        the radial position) is constant, and n is an integer within a        range of from 3 to 11),    -   recording light of erasure power Pe, which is able to        crystallize an amorphous-state portion, irradiates inter-mark        portions,    -   for the recorded marks, the time length (n−j)T is divided into        α₁T, β₁T, α₂T, β₂T, . . . , α_(m)T, β_(m)T (where m=n−1, α₁=from        0.75 to 1.25, α_(i)=from 0.25 to 0.75 (2≦i≦m),        α_(i)+β_(i-1)=from 1 to 1.5 (3≦i≦m)) in this sequence so as to        satisfy Σ_(i)(α_(i)+β_(i))=n−j (j is a real number within a        range of 0.0≦j≦2.0),    -   within the time length α_(i)T (1≦i≦m), the recording light,        whose record power Pw (Pw>Pe) is enough to melt said recording        layer, irradiates the recording layer, and within the time        length β_(i)T (1≦i≦m), the recording light of bias power Pb        (0<Pb≦0.5Pe) irradiates the recording layer, and each of α_(i)        and α_(i)+β_(i-1) (i=from 3 to m) is constant for any radial        position, and α_(i) (i=from 3 to m) is reduced monotonically for        the radially inner position.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provideda method of recording various mark and inter-mark lengths in terms ofEFM-modulated information on a rewritable disc-shaped optical recordingmedium having a predetermined recording area by CAV (constant angularvelocity) operation, in which the recording medium is rotated at aconstant angular velocity, said method being carried out in thefollowing manner:

-   -   when a linear velocity within a range of from 1.2 m/s to 1.4 m/s        is a reference velocity (1-times velocity), the disc-shaped        optical recording medium is rotated in a way that a linear        velocity at an outermost periphery of the recording area is as        high as 10 times of the reference velocity,    -   if a time length of an individual recorded mark is nT (T is a        data reference clock period varying according to its radial        position in a way that a product VT (V is a linear velocity in        the radial position is constant, and n is an integer within a        range of from 3 to 11),    -   recording light of erasure power Pe, which is able to        crystallize an amorphous-state portion, irradiates inter-mark        portions,    -   for the recorded marks, the time length (n−j)T is divided into        α₁T, β₁T, α₂T, β₂T, . . . , α_(m)T, β_(m)T (where m=n−1,        α_(i)/α₁=from 0.3 to 0.7 (i is an integer within a range of from        2 to m), α_(i)+β_(i-1)=approximately 1 (3≦i≦m)) in this sequence        so as to satisfy Σ_(i)(α_(i)+β_(i))=n−j (j is a real number        within a range of 0.0≦j≦2.0),    -   within the time length α_(i)T (1≦i≦m), the recording light,        whose record power Pw (Pw>Pe) is enough to melt said recording        layer, irradiates the recording layer, and within the time        length β_(i)T (1≦i≦m), the recording light of bias power Pb        (0<Pb≦0.5Pe) irradiates the recording layer, and each of α_(i)T        (i=from 2 to m) and α_(i)+β_(i-1) (i=from 3 to m) is constant        for any radial position.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is providedan optical disc recording/retrieving apparatus comprising:

-   -   a motor for rotating a disc, which has a spiral groove with        wobble which carrier frequency is constant in space frequency        and meandering according to a signal modulated with a constant        carrier frequency f_(L0) and address information and also has a        recording layer, at a constant angular velocity with a center of        the disc being an axis of rotation, the disc having address        information identifying each recording data block, which is a        unit of recording information located at a specified position in        the spiral groove, and a synchronization pattern identifying a        head position of the recording data block;    -   an optical pick-up for generating a focused laser beam        irradiating the disc for recording/retrieving;    -   a linear motor for moving the optical pick-up radially of the        disc to a given address;    -   a focus servo circuit for focusing the focused laser beam on the        recording layer;    -   a groove tracking servo circuit for scanning the spiral groove        by the focused laser beam;    -   a detector and decoder circuit for detecting and decoding a        carrier frequency f_(A0), address information and block        synchronization signal from the meandering groove geometry;    -   a data-sequence generation circuit for generating a recording        data sequence, which is modulated in terms of mark length        modulation, in synchronism with a data reference clock T which        has a frequency f_(d0) and a start position of the recording        block;    -   a laser-power modulation circuit for modulating a recording        laser power in accordance with the recording data sequence;    -   a reference signal generator for generating a data reference        clock T which varies in reverse proportion to a radius position        when the focused laser beam is moved radially of the disc to a        given address recording block; and    -   a data-sequence synchronization circuit for synchronizing a data        sequence, which is to be written in the given recording block,        with the start position of the recording block by comparing in        phase between a reference signal f_(R0), which is obtained by        dividing the data reference clock at a particular radius by N(N        is an integer), and the carrier frequency f_(A0) which is        detected at the given address from the meandering groove        geometry, and also making a fine adjustment of r.p.m.        (revolutions per minute) of the disc so as to satisfy a relation        f_(d0)N·f_(A0).

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an optical disc recording/retrieving method wherein recordingof data to an information area is made at a constant angular velocity,irrespective of the radial position where the recording takes place.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an optical disc recording/retrieving method wherein recordingand retrieving to and from an information area are made each at aconstant angular velocity.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is providedan optical disc recording/retrieving medium wherein recording andretrieving to and from an information area are made at the same angularvelocity.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provideda recording/retrieving apparatus for performing recording and retrievingon a rewritable optical recording medium having an application area thatincludes an application program area occupying a continuous specifiedpart of the application area and storing a predetermined applicationprogram, and a user data area which occupies the remaining portion ofthe application area and in which user data relating to at least theapplication program is adapted to be recorded, the application programand the user data being recorded in fixed-length packet units eachhaving a common file management structure for both the applicationprogram and the user data, and retrieving of the application program andrecording of the user data relating to the application program beingmade each at a constant angular velocity (CAV), the apparatuscomprising:

-   -   program execution means for executing the application program        content by having user data area to the specified part of the        application program in the rewritable optical recording medium        to retrieve the application program data with keeping the        medium, which is in the form of a disc, in CAV rotation at a        first predetermined angular velocity;    -   information input means for inputting necessary information        according to the application program to be executed by the        program executing means; and    -   recording means for having user data area to the user data area        with keeping the disc in CAV rotation at a second predetermined        angular velocity and for recording in the user data area the        necessary information, which is inputted by the information        input means, as user data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1(a), (b) and (c), shows an illustrative method of dividing apulse signal according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a graph showing a retrieving waveform (eye pattern) of anEFM-modulated signal;

FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating a relation between the process ofnon-crystallization and recrystallization, the heat radiation ofreflective layer and the recording linear velocity;

FIGS. 4(a) and (b), shows how to divide a pulse signal;

FIGS. 5(a) through (e), illustrates how to generate pulses according toa recording method of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a recording apparatus for carrying outthe recording method of the present invention;

FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b) are flowcharts illustrating flow of operation how togenerate a data reference clock to make recording in the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 is another flowchart illustrating how to generate a datareference clock to make recording in the present invention in analternative way;

FIG. 9 is still another flowchart illustrating how to generate a datareference clock to make recording in the present invention in anotheralternative way;

FIGS. 10(a) through (f), is a set of graphs showing overwritingcharacteristics according to Embodiment 1;

FIGS. 11(a) and (b), is a pair of graphs showing overwriting durabilityaccording to Embodiment 1;

FIGS. 12(a), (b) and (c), is a set of graphs showing overwritingdurability according to Embodiment 1;

FIG. 13 is a graph showing overwriting durability according toEmbodiment 3;

FIG. 14 is a graph showing overwriting durability according toEmbodiment 6;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing how to carry out the recording method ofthe present invention;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing an illustrative recording/retrievingapparatus according to the present invention;

FIGS. 17(a) and (b), is a set of graphs showing overwritingcharacteristic according to Embodiment 8;

FIG. 18 is a graph showing overwriting durability according toEmbodiment 9;

FIG. 19 is a graph showing overwriting durability according toEmbodiment 10;

FIG. 20 is a graph showing the dependency of overwrite erase ratio onPw;

FIGS. 21(a) and (b), is a pair of graphs showing overwriting durabilityaccording to Embodiment 11;

FIGS. 22(a) and (b), is a pair of graphs showing overwriting durabilityin an alternative according to Embodiment 11;

FIGS. 23(a), (b) and (c), is a set of graphs showing overwritingdurability in another alternative according to Embodiment 11;

FIGS. 24(a), (b) and (c), is a set of graphs showing overwritingdurability in still another alternative according to Embodiment 11;

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing data arrangement along ATIP addresses;

FIGS. 26(a) and (b), illustrates the wobble of a guide groove or a pitseries in a recording medium;

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing an illustrative data arrangement in therecording medium of the present invention;

FIG. 28 is a diagram showing the structure of a block in a CD-ROMformat;

FIG. 29 is a diagram showing the structure of a packet in CD-RW;

FIG. 30 is a block diagram showing a CD-RW drive and a host computerwhen P-ROM is used;

FIG. 31 is a flowchart showing the procedure of recording/retrieving byan CAV operation using P-ROM;

FIG. 32 is an electron-beam diffraction image of a thin film ofIn₃Ge₅Sb₇₀Te₂₂ taken by a permeating electron microscope; and

FIG. 33 is a graph showing an overwriting characteristic according toComparative Example 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

1. Characteristics of Recording Medium

In the present invention, it is assumed that a linear velocity, which isa rate of movement of a spotlight of recording light in a givendirection with respect to a recording medium, in a range of from 1.2 m/sto 1.4 m/s, preferably 1.2 m/s, is defined as a reference velocity,namely, a 1-times velocity.

First of all, a disc (hereinafter also called CD), which serves as asignificant element in the first and second aspects of the presentinvention, will now be described.

A rewritable optical recording medium of the present invention isusually in the form of a disc called “compact disc” or “CD”. In aphase-change recording layer of CD, crystalline portions assume anunrecorded/erased state and, in contrast, non-crystal or amorphous-stateportion assume a recorded state. Object information to be recorded is inthe form of a signal which is EFM modulated as amorphous marks areformed by exposing the phase-change recording layer to recording lightsuch as laser light. A substrate of the recording medium has usually aspiral groove. Amorphous marks are formed usually in the groove;alternatively they may be formed in an inter-groove land. Usually thegroove radially wobbles or meanders with a reference frequency whosecarrier frequency is 22.05 kHz in terms of the frequency at the 1-timesvelocity; therefore this groove is called a wobble groove. With thewobble, the carrier frequency is modulated by ±1 kHz so that addressinformation on the disc is incorporated as absolute time information interms of this delicate frequency variation. Such absolute timeinformation is called an ATIP (Absolute Time In Pre-groove) signal.

In production, the wobble groove is formed on a stamper as recorded at avelocity equivalent to the 1-times velocity of CD in CLV (ConstantLinear Velocity) mode, whereupon a substrate is injection-molded basedon the resultant stamper. Usually, 1-times velocity of 12 m/s (10.1 m/smargin is preferably chosen at which 22.05 kHz wobble carrier frequencyis obtained because it results in the highest storage density in therange of 1.2 m/s-1.45 m/s.

For recording data, various mark and space portions (inter-markportions) of different time lengths, each being as greater as areference clock period T multiplied by a predetermined integer, areformed. In EFM modulation, usually marks and spaces each having a timelength in a range of from 3T to 11T. It is customary to vary the datareference clock period T in inverse proportion to the linear velocity ofthe disc.

The inverse number of the reference clock period T is called a referenceclock frequency; the reference clock frequency at the 1-times velocity(linear velocity in a range of from 1.2 m/s to 1.4 m/s) of CD isequivalent to 1 channel bit of data, usually 4.3218 MHz. This referenceclock frequency is just 196 times of 22.05 kHz of reference frequency ofthe wobble.

The reference clock period T at the 1-times velocity is usually1/(4.3218×10⁶)≈0.231×10⁻⁹(second)=231(ns).

In the following description, the product VT of the reference clockperiod T and the linear velocity V is assumed to be constant unlessotherwise mentioned.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing a retrieving waveform (eye pattern) of anEFM-modulated signal to be used in a CD family products such as CD-RW.The eye pattern includes substantially at random a retrieving waveformof amorphous marks and crystalline-state space portions for each of 3Tthrough 11T. The retrieving waveform is a waveform of a voltage signalin terms of which the intensity of reflected light is taken and which isobserved on an oscilloscope; the retrieved signal contains a d.c.component.

A maximum value I_(top) of the eye pattern is an equivalent to a maximumvalue R_(top) of reflectivity of the space portions in terms of thereflectivity with respect to incident light. Modulation m₁₁ of arecorded signal is normalized by the following formula (1) as anamplitude I₁₁ of the eye pattern (practically an amplitude of 11T mark)is determined in terms of I_(top).m ₁₁ =I ₁₁ /I _(top)×100(%)  (1)

In the present invention, modulation m₁₁ is in a range of from 60% to80%. Modulation, which depends on the optical resolvability, tends to beseen larger than real on an optical system whose numerical aperture (NA)is large. Consequently, in the present invention, modulation m₁₁ is thatwhen laser light of approximately 780 nm in wavelength is irradiatedthrough an optical system with NA=0.5 or 0.55 to make recording. But thewavelength should by no means be strictly 780 nm and may be in a rangeof from 775 to 795 nm.

Signal amplitude I₁₁ is preferred to be large; but if it were too large,the gain of a signal retrieving amplifier would have been saturated toan extremity. Therefore the upper limit of m₁₁ is 80%, preferably 78%and more preferably roughly 75%. On the other hand, if it were toosmall, signal-noise ratio (SN ratio) would be reduced; consequently, thelower limit of m₁₁ is 60%, preferably 62% and more preferably roughly65%. Also R_(top) is in a range of 15-25%, preferably 15-20% and morepreferably 16-19%. In addition, although an asymmetry value A_(sym) asdefined by the following equation (2) is preferred to be roughly 0 asnearly as possible, it is usually in a range of ±10%.A _(sym)=(I _(slice) /I ₁₁−½)(%)  (2)where I_(slice) is a difference in voltage between the center line 2001of I and the bottom 2002 of an envelope in FIG. 2, and I₁₁ is a voltagevalue between the top 2003 and the bottom 2002 of the envelope.

The jitter and deviation of the individual mark length and space lengthof 3T-11T to be used in EFM modulation are a deviation and a standarddeviation (jitter) of a predetermined mean value nT of the mark lengthor space length which are obtained by picking up an RF component from aretrieved signal using a high-pass filter and then DC slicing the RFcomponent with the assumption that the zero level, which is to be asubstantial core value of the signal amplitude, is a threshold. Thedetailed measuring method is described by Red Book on CD Specifications,Orange Book on CD-RW Specifications, and “CD Family” (published by OhmCo., Ltd., a Japanese publishing corporation, on Apr. 25, 1996). In thepresent invention, a jitter value when retrieved at the 1-times velocity(data reference clock period of 231 ns) is 35 ns or less, preferably 30ns or less and more preferably 25 ns or less.

Usually 3T mark or an inter-mark jitter is the worst value among 3Tthrough 11T.

In the present invention, the deviation is usually in a range of ±40 nsor less for 3T, and in a range of ±60 ns or less for 11T. And for eachof 4T through 10T, the deviation is a value as obtained by interpolatingthe values of ±40 ns or less and ±60 ns or more that are usually definedfor 3T and 11T.

The quality of a recorded signal is preferable to basically meet thecharacteristics required under the currently effective specifications,and more particularly to meet the requirements described in Orange BookPart 3.

Given that the modulation m₁₁, the topmost level, R_(top), ofreflectivity of eye pattern and the jitter respectively have theabove-mentioned values, it is possible to make recording at high speedsas high as the 8-times velocity, particularly higher than the 10-timesvelocity, without loss of read-compatibility with the current CD-RWspecifications.

Preferably, after a tone signal composed of a 3T mark and a 3Tinter-mark space portion is recorded at the 8-times velocity, the eraseratio, defined as the ratio of the 3T mark carrier level before andafter a tone signal composed of an 11T mark and an 11T inter-mark spaceportion is overwritten, is 25 dB or more, especially 27 dB or more. Morepreferably, the erasure ratio for the 10-times velocity and particularly12-times velocity also is 25 dB or more. The greater the erasure ratioat high velocity, the crystallization speed of a recording medium duringthe amorphous mark erasing will become faster; therefore it is possibleto overwrite an EFM-modulated signal at increased velocities. Forexample, assuming that the erasure ratio for the 12-times velocity is 25dB or more, a good characteristic can be achieved not only when therecording medium is used at the 2-times velocity but also when it isused at the 10-times velocity.

As long as the upper limit of range of the linear velocities at whichoverwriting is made, is enough high, the erasure ratio would not beinsufficient than usual for low linear velocities. Because the time inwhich the recording layer is exposed to a light beam of a wavelength λ,which beam is focused by an objective lens having a numerical apertureNA and moving at a linear velocity V, is normalized by λ/(NA·V), theirradiation time would be longer for the lower linear velocity so thatan adequate time needed for recrystallization can be secured.

Assuming that the time till the jitter of a pre-recorded signal reaches35 ns in retrieving at the 1-times velocity is the archival life of therecording medium, it is preferable that such archival life of thepre-recorded is 500 hours or longer under an environment of 80° C. intemperature and 85% in humidity.

In the present invention, it is also preferable that the modulation m₁₁should remain 90%, particularly 95% or more, even after the lapse of 500hours under an acceleration test environment of 80° C. in temperatureand 85% in humidity.

In the present invention, modulation m₁₁, R_(top), jitter, deviation anderasure ratio for a linear velocity V (where V is the 8-times, 10-timesor 12-times velocity) are given from a recorded signal that is obtainedby retrieving at the 1-times velocity after an EFM-modulated signal isrecorded by an overwriting operation ten times under one selected fromvarious conditions of the following recording method 1 with a datareference clock period T, for a linear velocity, retained so as tosatisfy VT=V₁T₁ (where T₁ is 231 ns) if the linear velocity of 1.2 m/sis assumed as a reference velocity (1-times velocity) V₁.

Recording Method 1:

The recording layer is exposed to recording light of a 780 nm wavelengthvia an optical system whose numerical aperture (NA) is 0.55 or 0.5, withthe time length of the individual amorphous mark being nT (n is aninteger within a range of from 3 through 11).

During that time, erasure power Pe, which is able to crystallize theindividual amorphous-state portions, irradiates inter-mark portionsbetween the individual recorded marks,

-   -   for the recorded marks, the time length (n−j)T is divided into        α₁T, β₁T, α₂T, β₂T, . . . , α_(m)T, β_(m)T (where m=n−1, α₁=1.0,        α_(i)=0.5 (i is an integer selected from 2 through m),        β_(m)=from 0.25 to 0.75, α_(i)+β_(i-1)=1.0 (i is an integer        within a range of from 2 to m)) in this sequence so as to        satisfy Σ_(i)(α_(i)+β_(i))=n−j (j is a real number within a        range of from 0 to 2.0),    -   within the time length α_(i)T (i is an integer within a range        from 1 to m), the recording light, whose record power Pw is        enough to melt the recording layer, irradiates the recording        layer (where Pw is 14 to 25 mW and Pe/Pw=0.5), and    -   within the time length β_(i)T (i is an integer within a range of        from 1 to m), the recording light of bias power Pb of 0.8 mW        irradiates the recording layer.

In the present invention, also for the 4-times velocity, the values ofmodulation m₁₁, R_(top), jitter, deviation, asymmetry and erasure ratioare preferably in the foregoing respective ranges. Modulation m₁₁,R_(top), jitter, deviation and erasure ratio for the 4-times velocityare given from a recorded signal that is obtained by retrieving at the1-times velocity after an EFM-modulated signal is recorded by anoverwriting operation ten times under one selected from variousconditions of the following recording method 2 or 3 with a datareference clock period T, for a linear velocity, retained so as tosatisfy VT=V₁T₁ (where T₁ is 231 ns) if the linear velocity of 1.2 m/sis assumed as a reference velocity (1-times velocity) V₁.

Recording Method 2:

Recording light of a 780 nm wavelength irradiates the recording layervia an optical system whose numerical aperture (NA) is 0.55 or 0.5, withthe time length of the individual amorphous mark being nT (n is aninteger within a range of from 3 to 11).

During that time, erasure power Pe, which is able to crystallize theindividual amorphous-state portions, irradiates inter-mark portionsbetween the individual recorded marks,

-   -   for the recorded marks, the time length (n−j)T is divided into        α₁T, β₁T, α₂T, β₂T, . . . , α_(m)T, β_(m)T (where m=n−1, α₁=1.0,        α_(i)=0.3-0.6 (i is an integer within a range of from 2 to m),        β_(m)=from 0.25 to 0.75, α_(i)+β_(i-1)=1.0 (i is an integer        within a range of from 2 to m)) in this sequence so as to        satisfy Σ_(i)(α_(i)+β_(i))=n−j (j is a real number within a        range of from 0 to 2.0),    -   within the time length α_(i)T (i is an integer within a range of        from 1 to m), the recording light, whose record power Pw is        enough to melt the recording layer, irradiates the recording        layer (where Pw is 14 to 25 mW and Pe/Pw=0.5), and    -   within the time length β_(i)T (i is an integer within a range of        from 1 to m), the recording light of bias power Pb of 0.8 mW        irradiates the recording layer.

Recording Method 3:

Recording light of a 780 nm wavelength irradiates the recording layervia an optical system whose numerical aperture (NA) is 0.55 or 0.5, withthe time length of the individual amorphous mark being nT (n is aninteger within a range of from 3 to 11).

During that time, erasure power Pe, which is able to crystallize theindividual amorphous-state portions, irradiates inter-mark portionsbetween the individual recorded marks,

-   -   for the recorded marks, the time length (n−j)T is divided into        α₁T, β₁T, α₂T, β₂T, . . . , α_(m)T, β_(m)T (where m=n−1, α₁=0.4,        α_(i)=0.15-0.25 (i is an integer within a range of from 2 to m),        β_(m)=from 0.25 to 0.75, α_(i)+β_(i-1)=1.0 (i is an integer        within a range of from 2 to m)) in this sequence so as to        satisfy Σ_(i)(α_(i)+β_(i))=n−j (j is a real number within a        range of from 0 to 2.0).    -   within the time length α_(i)T (i is an integer within a range of        from 1 to m), the recording light, whose record power Pw is        enough to melt the recording layer, irradiates the recording        layer (where Pw is 14 to 25 mW and Pe/Pw=0.5), and    -   within the time length β_(i)T (i is an integer within a range of        from 1 to m), the recording light of bias power Pb of 0.8 mW        irradiates the recording layer.

Generally, the term “overwrite” means to write new data without makingonce-recorded data to an uniform unrecorded/erased state by a specifiedprocess. In the present invention, however, the term “overwrite” isregarded as having a broader interpretation to read on also “to recordnew data on a recording area in an initial uniform unrecorded/erasedstate”. For example, the language “by an overwriting operation tentimes”, which appears in each of the recording method 1 through 3, meansto make first recording (first overwriting) in a recording area in aninitial crystal state and subsequently make overwriting nine times. Thislanguage will also be used in the following description for the samemeaning.

Further, regarding the definition of “α_(i)+β_(i-1)=1.0” in each ofrecording methods 1 through 3, (α_(i)+β_(i-1)) means a time lengthequivalent to a reference clock period T and may include an inevitableerror that unavoidably results from the circuit design.

Furthermore, it would not be a significant problem even if thewavelength of recording light in each of recording methods 1 through 3fluctuates in the range of from 775 to 795 nm.

2. Recording Layer of Recording Medium

In the rewritable optical recording medium of the present invention, itis significant that erasure in a reduced time by crystallizing anamorphous mark at high speed and archival life (stability) of anamorphous mark are consistent with each other. To take aread-compatibility with a CD-ROM drive dedicated for retrieving, it ispreferable that, in a reference optical system, the modulation issatisfactorily high and the reflectivity should satisfactorily meetother servo signal characteristics, etc.

What most significant to realize high-speed crystallization and archivalstability is which material is selected for a phase-change recordinglayer to be disposed on a substrate. In the present invention,increasing the crystallization speed on the recording layer, which isimportant, can be accomplished by finely adjustably preparing acomposition of the recording layer.

The composition of the recording layer material comprises an alloycontaining an excessive amount of Sb as compared to a eutectic-pointcomposition of SbTe, and more particularly containing an excessiveamount of Sb on the basis of a eutectic composition of Sb₇₀Te₃₀.Preferably the composition of the recording layer material shouldcomprise an alloy of Sb₇₀Te₃₀ as a main component. In the presence ofexcess Sb in an SbTe eutectic composition, it is possible to crystallizethe recording layer at high speed. More preferably the composition ofthe recording layer material is selected from Ge-containing compositionsrepresented by M_(x)Ge_(y)(Sb_(x)Te_(1-x))_(1-y-x) (where 0≦z≦0.1,0<y≦0.1, 0.72≦x≦0.8, and M is at least one element selected from thegroup consisting of In, Ga, Si, Sn, Pb, Pd. Pt, Zn, Au, Ag, Zr, Hf, V,Nb, Ta, Cr, Co, Bi, O, N, S and rare earth metal elements).

The above-mentioned preferable composition can be regarded as acomposition comprising a ternary alloy, as a basis, which is obtained byadding Ge to a binary alloy containing excess Sb over an SbTeeutectic-point composition in order to improve archival stability andjitter. At that time, it can be thought that Ge serves to increase thearchival stability of an amorphous mark without deteriorating thehigh-speed crystallization that is as the result of excess Sb. It alsocan be thought that Ge is the most effective element for not onlyraising the crystallization temperature but also increasing thecrystallization activating energy. Regarding the amount of Ge, the valueof y in the above-mentioned composition formula should preferably be0.03 or more and more particularly 0.04 or more. On the other hand, ifthe amount of Ge is excessive, since supposedly an inter-metalliccompound, such as GeTe or GeSbTe, is precipitated, crystal grains havingdifferent optical constants are intermingled in the recording layer toincrease noise of the recording layer, which would occasionally be acause for an increased jitter. Because addition of too much more amountof Ge is not effective to further improve the archival stability, thevalue of y in the above-mentioned composition formula is usually 0.1 orless and preferably 0.08 or less, representing the amount of Ge.

If excess Sb is too less in amount, the recrystallization speed would betoo slow so that comfortable overwriting cannot be achieved a highlinear velocity such as 8-times or higher velocity. Consequently thevalue of x in the above composition formula is 0.72 or more, preferably0.73 or more and more particularly 0.74 or more. On the other hand, ifthe amount of excess Sb is too large, the recrystallization speed wouldbe too fast so that a qualified amorphous mark can hardly be formed atthe 4-times velocity in the divided pulse method according to CD-RWspecifications, thus resulting in an remarkably increased jitter. And tocope with that the archival stability of an amorphous mark would tend tobe deteriorated, the value of x is 0.80 or less, preferably 0.79 or lessand more preferably 0.78 or less.

The optimum composition range slightly depends also on the numericaperture (NA) of the optical system. If NA is larger and the focusedlight beam is restricted, the recording layer cooling rate afterirradiating the light beam would tends to be slightly increased.Consequently, for NA=0.5, the optimal value of x is in a range of from0.73 to 0.78. And for NA=0.55, the optimal value of x is in a range offrom 0.75 to 0.80. For the intermediate NA, it is preferable to choosethe intermediate composition range.

In the above-mentioned composition formula, characteristics can befurther improved by adding at least one selected from the grouprepresented by the above-mentioned M. In, Ga, Si and Sn are effective tofurther reduce the jitter. N, O and S are effective to preventsegregation due to repeated overwriting and to finely adjust opticalcharacteristics. Bi, Zn, Pd, Pt, Au, Ag and rare-earth elements areeffective to facilitate crystallizing an amorphous film through itsentire surface immediately after deposition. Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Coand Pb are effective to further improve the archival stability.

However, if the amount of element M is too large, segregation of aparticular substance would tend to occur with time and due to repeatedoverwriting. Consequently, regarding the amount of addition of elementM, the value of z in the above-mentioned composition formula is 0.1 orless and preferably 0.09 or less with respect to x+y+z. If segregationhas once occurred, the stability of amorphous structure and therecrystallization speed which the recording layer initially has wouldchange so that the required overwriting characteristic cannot besecured. Regarding O, S and N in particular, the total amount of theseelements is more preferably 5 atomic % or less with respect to the totalamount of those elements and Sb, Te, Ge.

In various elements M, In or Ga and In in particular is effective toreduce the jitter and also to expand the margins of linear velocities.Preferably the recording layer comprises a quadripartile alloy ofInGeSbTe or GaGeSbTe, particularly one selected from the compositionsrepresented by A¹ _(a)A² _(b)Ge_(c)(Sb_(d)Te_(1-d))_(i-a-b-c) (where0<a≦0.1, 0<b≦0.1, 0.02<c≦0.2, preferably 0.02<c≦0.1, 0.72≦d≦0.8, and A¹is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Zn, Pd,Pt, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Co, Si, Sn, Pb, Bi, O, N, S and rare earth metalelements, and A² is at least one element selected from the groupconsisting of Ga and In). As above mentioned, if the amount of In and/orGa is too large, segregation tends to occur; consequently, it iscustomary that the value of b is 0.1 or less and preferable 0.06 orless. This enables to retard occurrence of segregation even when anoverwriting operation is made over 10,000 times. In the above-mentionedcomposition formula, the value of d, like the above-mentioned value ofx, is preferably 0.73 or more and more particularly 0.74 or more, orpreferably 0.79 or less and more particularly 0.78 or less. But theoptimal value of d depends also on the numerical aperture, so inpractice x=from 0.73 to 0.78 for NA=0.5, and x=from 0.75 to 0.80 forNA=0.55.

The particularly advantages of the foregoing composition for therecording layer over known compositions will now be described.

Various alloys of InGeSbTe are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-OpenPublications Nos. HEI 1-63195, HEI 1-14083, HEI 5-16528 and HEI9-293269; in each Japanese publication, a composition near apseudo-binary alloy of GeTe—Sb₂Te₃ is regarded to be preferable.

Whereas the above-mentioned composition of the present invention is acomposition that contains excess Sb with a eutectic composition of SbTebeing a main component.

As far as for 1- and 2-times velocities, if excess Sb is added to theabove-mentioned known pseudo-binary alloy of GeTe—Sb₂Te₃, a rewritablecompact disc (CD-RW) can be realized (Japanese Patent Laid-OpenPublications Nos. HEI 4-212735 and HEI 5-62193). On a curve connectingGeTe—Sb₂Te₃, the composition of Ge₁Sb₄Te₇, Ge₁Sb₂Te₄ or Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ showsa fastest crystallization speed, and addition of Sb makes thecrystallization speed slow. But, since excess Sb is added, thecrystallization speed would be too slow to make high-speed recording at4-times or higher velocity and hence the erasure ratio would be too lowto make overwriting. On the contrary, if the amount of Sb is reduced tomeet the recording of the 4-times velocity, recrystallization at the1-times or 2-times velocity would be remarkable so that forming of anamorphous mark can be deteriorated due to the recrystallization duringresolidification. Namely, even if only the amount of Sb is adjusted, itwould be difficult to realize overwriting at 2- through 4-timesvelocities without risk of impairing the read-compatibility with CD-RWspecifications. Likewise, recording at from 4- through 8-timesvelocities also cannot be realized. Yet, if a recording medium isdesigned to meet the 4-times velocity, it would be difficult to achievegood recording characteristics by the same strategy at the 8-timesvelocity.

Further, the above-mentioned composition of the present invention issuperior in storage stability in room-temperature atmosphere as comparedto AgInSbTe and AuInSbTe alloy (exemplified by Japanese Patent Laid-OpenPublication No. HEI 10-326436) compositions, which have been widely usedin the conventional CD-RWs for 2- through 4-times velocities.

For example, even in an AgInSbTe alloy, overwriting at 8- through10-times velocities would be possible. But, supposedly because, at thesame time, the crystallization activating energy or the crystallizationtemperature decreases, the stability of an amorphous mark would tend tobe deteriorated. This is true because it is difficult to make twodemands, the high-speed crystallization velocity duringhigh-linear-velocity overwriting and the stability of an amorphous mark,read-compatible with each other.

It is yet debatable why the foregoing characteristics difference isshown between AgInSbTe and the above-mentioned GeSbTe composition of thepresent invention. But, presumably, in GeSbTe composition, partly sinceexcess Sb merely participates in nucleation of recrystallization andpartly since Ge of four-fold coordination also participates, the networkstructure of atoms would locally become firm so that especially for lowtemperatures around room temperature, nuclear growth (local structuralchange in network) about the nuclei is retarded.

In the meantime, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications Nos. HEI1-303643, HEI 4-28587 and HEI 10-112028 disclose a recording layer ofthe above-mentioned GeSbTe composition, which is preferable in thepresent invention. But these Japanese publications are totally silentabout: application of GeSbTe to a specified format in the form of acompact disc (CD), use in high-linear-velocity recording at 8-times orhigher velocity, and use in both of high-linear-velocity recording andlow-linear-velocity recording.

Further, the above-mentioned values of m₁₁, R_(top) and jitter are notdetermined only by the composition of the recording layer.

In the present invention, the recording layer is of a crystal phasehaving a face-centered cubic structure in the above-mentioned crystalstate. In such event, the recording layer may be of a single crystalphase or a plurality of crystal phases. In the latter case, therecording layer is preferably free of misfit. With the resultingrecording layer, it is possible to improve characteristics, such asreducing noise, increasing storage stability and facilitatingcrystallization at high speed. If there exists a crystal phase having ahexagonal structure as of Sb₂Te₃, a crystal phase having a cubicstructure as of Sb and remarkably different in unit cell, or a differentcrystal phase belonging to a different space group as of Sb₇Te andSb₂Te₃, supposedly as the result of development of a grain boundarywhich is large in misfit, the peripheral shape of an amorphous markwould be irregular and optical noise would occur; whereas in the case ofthe foregoing crystal phase, such grain boundary would not develop.

The unit cell of the foregoing preferred face-centered cubic crystal isusually 5.5 Å or more and preferably 5.8 Å or larger, or usually 6.8 orsmaller and preferably 6.5 Å or smaller. The unit cell of the foregoingpreferred hexagonal crystal is usually a=4-4.5 Å, and usually c=30-35 Å.In the presence of plural crystal phases, no misfit does not occur; inorder to regard them as substantially a single phase, they should havepreferably a common crystal structure and the difference between theirunit cells is preferably roughly ±5% or less. The crystal phase may beeither a stable crystal phase to be obtained in a state of thermalequilibrium or a metastable crystal phase, which develops depends on themanufacturing condition. The metastable crystal phase should by no meanscorrespond to the lowest energy state thermodynamically but is nottotally instable; this is, it is a crystal phase that can exist in asubstantially stable state in a phase-change recording layer to be usedin an optical information recording medium.

In the present invention, the preferred crystal phase supposedly belongsto an Fm3m space group and/or an F43m space group. FIG. 32 is anelectron-beam diffraction image of a thin film of In₃Ge₅Sb₇₀Te₂₂ takenby a transmission electron microscope (TEM), the thin film being arecording layer (approximately 20 nm in thickness) peeled off a mediumthat was manufactured by the same method as the present method in alater-described embodiment in connection with a phase-change opticalinformation recording medium. In FIG. 32, the individual points A, B, C,D are respectively assigned to mirror indices (220), (002), (222),(111). The structure which can illustrate not only these mirror indicescorresponding to the individual points A, B, C, D appearing in thisdiffraction image but also a different pattern of diffraction image,which was obtained likewise, without incurring any contraction is aface-centered cubic structure, particularly a crystal structurebelonging to an Fm3m or F43m space group. Further, as facewise rotationactually appears but is substantially not illustrated except FIG. 32,the electron-beam diffraction image supposedly resulted from a singlecrystal phase. Furthermore, by the X-ray diffraction method, it wasproved that no clear-cut peak related to a different crystal structurelike an Sb phase was observed.

The electron-beam diffraction image of FIG. 32 indicates that therecording layer belongs to an F43m space group whose unit cell isapproximately 6.4 Å or an Fm3m space group whose unit cell isapproximately 6.1 Å. The former has a structure similar to aGe₃In₁₃Sb₇Te₃ solid solution or similar to a crystal form belonging toan F43m space group of AgInTe₂, and the latter has a structure similarto a crystal system belonging to an Fm3m space group of AgInTe₂ orsimilar to a crystal form belonging to an Fm3m space group of AgSbTe₂.

Also for GaSb and InSb, there exist crystal systems belonging to thesame space group and respectively having unit cells of approximately 6.1Å and approximately 6.5 Å which are extremely near the values of unitcells obtained from the electron-beam diffraction image of FIG. 32. Inother words, these crystals accelerate formation of a metastablestructure in an Sb—Te—Ge solid solution, which is a base material,partly because presence of In and/or Ga is essential in the recordinglayer composition of the present invention.

For higher Sb/Te raio, hexagonal single phse is rather preferred.

In a composition in which Sb is excessive as compared to an SbTeeutectic composition, the above-mentioned different crystal phase tendsto be formed. Consequently the composition containing excess Sb isrequired to be changed into single phase, especially a face-centeredcubic structure by initialization in a way described later.

The form of crystal phase of the resultant recording layer largelydepends on the way of initializing the recording layer. Namely, forforming the preferred crystal phase in the present invention, it ispreferable to initialize the recording layer in the following manner.

The recording layer is deposited usually by physical vapor deposition ina vacuum, such as sputtering method; the recording layer in as-depositedstate immediately after deposition is usually non-crystalline oramorphous, so it has been customary to crystallize the amorphousstructure into an unrecorded/erased state. This procedure is calledinitialization. The initialization is exemplified by: oven annealing thedeposited amorphous layer in solid phase at a temperature not less thana crystallization temperature (usually 150 to 300° C.) and not higherthan a melting point; annealing the deposited amorphous layer underirradiation of light energy such as laser light or flash lamp light; andmelt-resolidification initialization. To obtain the recording layer in apreferable crystalline state, melt-resolidification initilization ispreferred. In the case of annealing the deposited amorphous layer insolid phase, since it takes redundant time to achieve thermalequilibrium, a different crystal phase tends to be formed.

In melt-resolidification initilization, the recording layer may bemelted in such a manner that it is directly recrystallized subsequentlyduring resolidification. Alternatively, after the recording layer hasbeen made amorphous, the amorphous layer may be recrystallized in solidphase near a melting point. During this recrystallization, if thecrystallization speed is too slow, a different crystal phase would beformed due to redundant time till thermal equilibrium is accomplished.Consequently it is preferred to make the cooling rate faster to someextent.

For example, the time to retain the temperature not less than a meltingpoint is usually 2 μs or less and preferably 1 μs or less. Inmelt-resolidification initilization, it is preferred to use laser lightand particularly laser light of oval-type with the shorter axissubstantially parallel to the scanning direction (hereinafter called“bulk erase”). In this case, the length of the longer axis of light beamis usually in a range of from 10 to 1,000 μm and the length of theshorter axis of beam is usually in a range of from 0.1 to 10 μm, asdefined in terms of half-band width when optical energy intensitydistribution in a laser light beam is measured. The oval-type laserlight is scanned at the direction of the shorter axis, irradiating thephase-change recording layer. The scanning speed is usually roughly in arange of from 1 to 10 m/s. A laser light source may be semiconductorlaser, gas laser, etc. The power of laser light is usually roughly in arange of from 100 mW to 2 W.

Otherwise, when the scanning spebd exceeds the maximum overwritablespeed for the present invention of the phase-change media, there ispossibility that the once molten area by bulk erasing beam irradiationcan be amorphized. On the other hand, phase separation of differentphase of crystalline is obtained so that it is difficult to obtain suchpreferred signal phase crystalline structure, when the scanning speed isapproximately 30% or more below the maximum overwritable speed of thephase-change media. Consequently, the speed of 50 to 80% of the maximumoverwritable speed of the phase-change media is preferred as thescanning speed of the bulk erasing beam during initialization. Themaximum overwritable speed of the phase-change media is defined of upperlimit of the speed at which the completely erasure of the amorphous markis achieved with irradiation of Pe.

In initialization by bulk erase, assuming that a disc-shaped recordingmedium is used, the disc is rotated with the shorter axis of an ovallight beam substantially aligned with the circumferential direction andscanning takes place on the rotating disc in the direction of theshorter axis. During this scanning, the light beam is moved in thedirection of the longer axis (radial direction) for every revolution(every rotation). As a result the disc is initialized through its entirerecording area. The distance of the radial movement of the light beamfor every rotation is preferably shorter than the longer axis of thelight beam to overlap such that the same radius track of the disc isexposed to the light beam a number of times. As a result, it is possibleto realize sure initialization free of any non-uniformly initializedstate resulting from radial beam energy distribution (usually 10-20%).On the other hand, if the extent of radial movement is too small, aundesired crystal phase different from the target crystal phase tends tobe formed; consequently the extend of radial movement should be usually½ or more of the longer axis of the light beam.

Alternatively, in melt-resolidification initialization, two laser lightbeams may be used; the preceding beam serves to melt the recordinglayer, whereupon the succeeding beam then serves to recrystallize themelted area. Here assuming that the distance between the two beams istoo large, the area melted by the preceding beam becomes firstlysolidified and then recrystallized.

Whether the recording layer has been recrystallized aftermelt-solidification can be discriminated in terms of whether thereflectivity R1 in erased state after overwriting of an amorphous markhas been made with actual recording light of roughly 1 μm issubstantially equal to the reflectivity R2 in unrecorded state afterinitialization. Here, in measurement of R1, if a signal pattern such asto record amorphous marks successively is used, overwriting is made aplurality of times, usually in a range of from 5 to 100 times. Theresultant disc is free of any effect of the reflectivity of possibleinter-mark areas that might have been left unrecorded by onlysingle-time recording.

To obtain the above-mentioned erased state, a focused laser beam forrecording should by no means be modulated in accordance with an actualrecording pulse generation method and, instead, the recording power maybe irradiated in direct current to melt the recording layer forresolidification.

In the recording medium of the present invention, the difference betweenR1 and R2 is preferably small.

More particularly, the formula (F1) value defined by R1 and R2 ispreferably 10 (%) or less and more specifically 5 (%) or less.2|R 1 −R 2|/(R 1 +R 2)×100(%)  (F1)For example, in a phase-change medium whose R1 is about 17%, R2 isroughly in a range of from 16 to 18%.

For achieving the above-mentioned initialized state, it is preferable togive a general thermal history equal to the actual recording conditionby initialization.

3. Layer Construction of Medium

The layer construction of a medium to be used in the present inventionas well as various layers other than the recording layer will now bedescribed. For the layer construction and the composition of variouslayers other than the recording layer, it is significant that opticalcharacteristics of the medium is in a specified range to secureread-compatibility with CD, making high-speed crystallization andarchival stability of the recording layer read-compatible with eachother.

For a substrate of the medium of the present invention, transparentresin such as polycarbonate, acryl or polyolefin, or transparent glassmay be used. Partly because it is inexpensive and most widely used inthe art, polycarbonate resin in particular is most preferred. Thethickness of the substrate is usually in a range of from 0.1 to 20 mmand preferably in a range of from 0.3 to 15 mm. In general, it is about1.2 mm.

Preferably, the recording layer is coated on each of opposite sides witha protective layer to prevent possible deformation due to hightemperature recording (for convenience in explanation, the protectivelayer disposed on one side from which light strikes the recording layeris called a lower protective layer, and the protective layer disposed onthe other side is called an upper protective layer.

More preferably, a lower protective, a recording layer, an upperprotective layer and a reflective layer are mounted on the substrate oneover another. In this case, the resulting medium is coated on a surfaceremote from the substrate may be coated (protective coating) with aresin setting permanently when exposed to ultraviolet ray or heat. Tosecure read-compatibility with the current CD system, it is preferablethat on the substrate, the lower protective layer, the recording layer,the upper protective layer and the reflective layer are placed in thisorder. Further, the recording layer, the protective layers and thereflective layers may be formed by the sputtering method. In that case,preferably on an inline apparatus where a target recording film and atarget protective film and, if necessary, a target reflective layermaterial are placed in a common vacuum chamber, deposition is carriedout by sputtering. This deposition is effective to prevent oxidation andcontamination between the individual layers.

The material for the protective layers is determined in view ofrefractive index, heat conductivity, chemical stability, mechanicalstrength, contact tightness, etc. Generally, oxide, sulfide or nitrideof metal or semiconductor high in transparency and melting point, orfluoride of Ca, Mg, Li, etc. may be used. Each of the described oxide,sulfide, nitride and fluoride should by no means be a stoichiometriccomposition, and alternatively it may be a composition adjusted or mixedto adjust characteristics such as refractive index.

In view of repetitive recording characteristics, a mixture ofdielectrics is preferable. More specifically, the alternative isexemplified by a mixture of ZnS, ZnO or rare earth sulfide with aheat-resistant compound such as oxide, nitride, carbide, etc. The filmdensity of these protective layers is preferably 80% or higher in bulkstate in view of mechanical strength.

In the present invention, the heat conductivity of the protectivelayers, particularly of the upper protective layer, is as small aspossible. Specifically, the heat conductivity of 1 J/(m·k·s) or less ispreferable. Such material is exemplified by a mixture containing ZnS or50 mole % or more of ZnS.

The film thickness of the lower protective layer is usually 30 nm ormore, preferably 50 nm or more, particularly 60 nm or more, and morepreferably 80 nm or more. For retarding deformation of the substrate dueto thermal damage during repeated overwriting, the lower protectivelayer requires a somewhat large thickness. If the thickness of the lowerprotective layer of the recording layer is too thin, sufficient contrastbetween the crystal state and the amorphous state can hardly achieved istoo small, repeated-overwrite durability tends to suddenly become worse.Specifically jitter tends to increase sharply at the beginning of arepeated overwriting operation, i.e. less than hundreds times ofrepeating.

The degree of deterioration of jitter at the beginning of repeatingremarkably depends on the film thickness of the lower protective layer.The observation on an atomic force microscope (AFM) by the presentinventors shows that this initial deterioration caused due to suchdeformation of the substrate surface as to be recessed by about 2through 3 nm. For retarding such substrate deformation, the protectivelayer requires a somewhat large film thickness such as to hold possibledeformation by mechanically. For this purpose, the above-mentioned filmthickness is preferred.

On the other hand, the degree of dependence of the refractive indexR_(top) on the film thickness of the lower protective layer usuallybecomes minimal for the range of 60-80 nm and maximal for the range ofroughly 0-150 nm. In the protective layer of generally used dielectricswhose refractive index is about 2.0-2.3 for a wavelength of 780 nm, therefractive index periodically varies between the maximum and minimumvalues, depending on the film thickness. Therefore it is opticallymeaningless to increase the film thickness of the lower protective layerrecklessly, which would cause an increase in cost of material and agroove coverage due to the deposition of a thick film. Consequently thefilm thickness of the lower protective layer should be usually 150 nm orless and preferably 120 nm or less.

In the meantime, the film thickness of the upper protective layer is 30nm or more and preferably 35 or more. The upper protective layer serveschiefly to protect mutual diffusion between the recording layer and thereflective layer. If the upper protective layer is too thin, therecording layer tends to be damaged due to the deformation of itselfwhen melted, and the power needed for recording tends to becomeunnecessarily large because the heat radiation effect is too large.Particularly for recording at 8-times or higher velocity like in thepresent invention, impairment of recording sensitivity is notpreferable.

On the contrary, if the upper protective layer is too thick, temperaturedistribution inside it would become steep so that the extent ofdeformation of the protective layer per se can be large, whichdeformation tends to be accumulated by overwriting. Consequently thefilm thickness of the upper protective layer is usually 60 nm or lessand preferably 55 nm or less.

The film thickness of the recording layer is preferably 10 nm or more,particularly 15 nm or more. If the recording layer is too thin,sufficient contrast between recorded and unrecorded states can hardly beachieved, and the crystallization speed tends to become slow. Anderasure of recording in short time tends to become difficult.

On the other hand, the film thickness of the recording layer is usually40 nm or less and preferaly 30 nm or less, particularly 25 nm or less.Yet if the recording layer is too thick, sufficient reflectivitycontrast between recorded and unrecorded states can hardly be achieved,and the recording sensitivity can be impaired since heat capacitybecomes increased. Further, the thicker the recording layer, change involume of the recording layer with crystalline-amorphous phase changebecomes larger; if the recording layer is too thick, microscopicdeformation would be accumulated in the protective layer and thesubstrate surface during repeated overwriting, which can be a cause fornoise increase.

Considering not only the restriction in view of mechanical strength andreliability (particularly repeated-overwriting durability) but also theinterference effect with a multi-layer structure, the thicknesses of therecording layer and the protective layers are selected such that laserlight absorption effect is excellent and amplitude of a recorded signal,namely, contrast between recorded and unrecorded states would becomelarge.

A preferred layer construction on balance of the foregoing relations andconditions is as follows:

Assuming that the reflective index of each of the upper and lowerprotective layer in a range of from 2.0 to 2.3 and that d_(L), d_(R),d_(U) are the respective film thicknesses of the lower protective layer,the recording layer and the upper protective layer,

-   -   15≦d_(R)≦20 nm, 30≦d_(U)≦60 nm,    -   d_(R) and d_(U) are in a relation d_(U)={−5d_(R)+130}±10 nm, and        as the dependence of refractive index R_(top) on d_(L) for the        crystal state during retrieving, a value R_(top) such as to        satisfy ∂R_(top)/∂d_(L)>0 is preferably selected from the range        between the minimum value and next to the minimum value for        d_(L) in the range of 60-80 nm.

In the medium of the present invention, also heat radiation effect ofthe reflective layer is significant to increase as compared to theconventional CD-RW medium read-compatible with 1- through 4-timesvelocities. By finely adjusting this composition and combining theadjusted composition with the above-mentioned particular recordinglayer, it is possible to make easier recording both at high linearvelocity and at low linear velocity. Particularly by using a material oflow heat conductivity as the protective layer, it is possible to achievea further increased effect.

The relationship of formation and recrystallization of the amorphousstructure with heat radiation effect of the reflective layer and linearvelocity during recording, will now be described with reference to thegraph of FIG. 3.

In the graph of FIG. 3, the horizontal axis is the recording linearvelocity, and the left vertical axis is the cooling rate when therecording layer is melted and then resolidified. If this cooling rate γis faster than a critical cooling rate R_(c) to be determined by thematerial of the recording layer, the recording layer is amorphized; thisis, an amorphous mark is formed. On the left vertical axis of the graphof FIG. 3, to increase Sb/Te ratio over the eutectic-point compositionof Sb₇₀Te₃₀ (Sb/Te≈2.33) means that R_(c) becomes faster to moveupwardly.

A curve “a” shows a dependence of the cooling rate of the recordinglayer on the linear velocity during recording when a fixed pulsestrategy of FIG. 4 was applied to a disc of an ordinary construction. Acurve “b” is similar to the curve “a” except that only the reflectivelayer of the same disc was substituted by a later-described compositionof high heat radiation effect to increase the heat radiation effect. Thecurve “b” appears above the curve “a”, from which it can be understoodthat formation of an amorphous mark was facilitated.

For high linear velocities, since the cooling rates are originallysufficiently larger than a critical cooling rate R_(c) for amorphizationof non-crystallization of the recording layer, there exists noremarkable difference in heat radiation effect of the reflective layerbetween the cooling rates which effect is influential on formation of anamorphous structure. But for low linear velocities, since the coolingrates wholly come down to below the vicinity of R_(c), the heatradiation effect influential on formation of an amorphous structurebecomes remarkable.

In the meantime, these curves can be regarded as the dependence ofrecrystallization of the recording layer between amorphous marks byrecording light of erasure power Pe on the linear velocity of an inverse1/τ of the time τ during which the recording layer is retained higherthan the crystallization temperature (right vertical axis in the graphof FIG. 3). If this retention time τ is larger than a criticalcrystallization time τ_(c), to be determined by the material of therecording layer, namely, 1/τ<1/τ_(c), the amorphous marks would besufficiently recrystallized and thus erased.

Assuming that after a single-period signal composed of a 3T mark and a3T space is recorded, another single-period signal composed of an 11Tand an 11T space portion is overwritten in such a manner that the 3Tmark is erased at an erase ratio of 25 dB or higher, then usually1/τ<1/τ_(c).

In the present invention, it is significant that the recording layer hasa characteristic like the curve “c” meeting conflicting demands whichnot only satisfies 1/τ<1/τ_(c) so as to enable sufficient erasure byoverwriting at high linear velocity, but also satisfies γ>R_(c) wherethe cooling rate γ at low linear velocity. Consequently it is necessaryto select proper compositions and thicknesses of the individual layers.It turns out from the curve “c” that the decrease of the cooling rate ofthe recording layer is compensated when the linear velocity is slowerthan the 4-times velocity (4×).

The curve “c” can be accomplished when a later-described preferreddivided pulse method is additionally adopted to the medium of the curve“b”.

From the foregoing point of view, the material of the reflective layeris preferably an alloy containing Al or Ag as a main component which arehigh in heat conductivity and large in heat radiation effect. Thespecific heat of the reflective layer corresponds to pure Al or pure Agin an alloy containing Al or Ag as a main component, and presumably doesnot vary either when a small amount of an element is added or when athin film of the same element is deposited. Thus the heat radiationeffects depends on the heat conductivity and thickness of the reflectivelayer.

In general, the heat conductivity of an element in thin film will becomesmaller than the heat conductivity of the same element in bulk stateusually by a large extent, and it will become smaller sometimes by oneor more orders of magnitude due to the island-shaped structure at thebeginning of crystal growth. Further, the crystallinity and the impurityquantity depend on the deposition condition, which would be a cause fordifferent heat conductivities even in the same composition.

The quality of heat conduction can be estimated in terms of electricalresistance, normalizing a reflective film of a high heat conductivitygiving a good characteristic. This is because, in a material in whichelectrons play as a main role either in heat conductance or in electricconductance like in a metal film, there is a good proportional relationbetween the heat conductivity and the electric conductivity. Theelectrical resistance of the thin film represents a resistivity valuethat is normalized in terms of the film thickness and the area ofmeasurement. The volume resistivity and sheet resistivity (ratioresistance) can be measured by the ordinary four-probe resistance methodand is normalized by JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) K 7194. It isthereby possible to obtain data that is far simple and good inreproductivity as compared to actually measuring the heat conductivityof the thin film.

Because the heat radiation effect of the reflective layer is representedby the product of the heat conductivity and the film thickness, it canbe normalized in terms of the sheet resistivity. In the presentinvention, the sheet resistivity of the reflective layer is preferablyin a range of from 0.2 to 0.6 Ω/□ (quadrature) and more particularlyfrom 0.22 to 0.55 Ω/□ (quadrature).

Further, the preferred reflective layer has a volume resistivity of 150nΩ·m or less and more particularly 100 nΩ·m or less. On the other hand,a material whose volume resistivity is small to a minimum issubstantially difficult to obtain; consequently the volume resistivityis usually 20 nΩ·m or more.

The thickness of the reflective layer is usually in a range of from 40to 300 nm and preferably in a range of from 50 to 200 nm. If it is toothick, even though the sheet resistivity can be reduced, not onlyadequate heat radiation effect cannot be achieved, but also therecording sensitivity tends to become worse. In the thick reflectivelayer, the heat capacity per unit area increases so that it takes moretime to radiate heat of the reflective layer itself, which wouldsupposedly result in a reduced heat radiation effect. In such thickfilm, it takes time to deposit the film, so the material cost tends torise. Yet if the film thickness is too small, the reflectivity and heatconductivity will become smaller due to the island-shaped structure atthe beginning of crystal growth.

The material of the reflective layer is exemplified by an Al alloy andan Ag alloy.

The material of the reflective layer suitable for use in the presentinvention will now be described in greater detail. The reflective layermaterial is exemplified by an Al alloy containing Al and at least oneelement selected from the group consisting of Ta, Ti, Co, Cr, Si, Sc,Hf, Pd, Pt, Mg, Zr, Mo and Mn. As it is known that these alloys areeffective to improve hillock resistance, they can be used in view ofdurability, volume resistivity, deposition speed, etc. The content ofthe above-mentioned element is usually in a range of from 0.1 to 2atomic % and preferably from 0.2 to 1 atomic %. Regarding the Al alloy,if an amount of added impurities is too small, hillock resistance isoften inadequate, depending on the deposition condition. Otherwise if itis too large, the above-mentioned low resistivity is difficult toobtained.

The reflective layer material may be an Al alloy containing 0-2% byweight of Mn, 0-2% by weight of Si, 0.5-2% by weight of Mg, and 0-0.2%by weight of Ti. Mn is effective to prevent deposition of FeAl₃ as Al₆Mnserves as a solid solution with respect to Fe and hence to preventcorrosion resistance from being deteriorated due to Fe; of undesiredelements inevitably mixed in an Al alloy during the manufacturingprocess, Fe is the most difficult to perfectly remove out. However, ifthe content of Mn per se is large, Al₆Mn is deposited in the reflectivelayer with time to cause the heat conductivity to vary with time. Thiscontent of Mn is usually 2% by weight or less and preferably 1% byweight. Si is effective to minimize “micro-peel-off” defects, but if itcontent is too much, the heat conductivity can vary with time;consequently the content should be usually 2% by weight or less andpreferably 1.5% by weight or less. And Mg is effective to improvecorrosion resistance of the reflective layer, but if its content is toomuch, the heat conductivity can vary with time; therefore the contentshould be usually 2% by weight or less and preferably 1.5% by weight orless. Ti is effective to prevent fluctuation of the sputtering rate, butif its content is too much, Ti causes the heat conductivity to decrease,and a bulk containing Ti microscopically uniformly distributed isdifficult to cast, increasing the target cost; therefore the content isusually 0.2% by weight or less.

An alternative material of reflective layer is exemplified by an Agalloy containing, in addition to Ag, at least one element selected fromthe group consisting Ti, V, Ta, Nb, W, Co, Cr, Si, Ge, Sn, Sc, Hf, Pd,Rh, Au, Pt, Mg, Zr, Mo and Mn. If the archival stability is regarded tobe more significant, an addition component is preferably Ti, Mg or Pd.The content of the element is usually in a range of from 0.2 to 5 atomic%.

In the present invention, using a high-heat-conductivity material, it ispossible to a reflectively layer whose thickness is in a relativelysmall range of from 40 to 300 nm or less and whose sheet resistivity isin an appropriately small range of from 0.2 to 0.6 Ω/□ (quadrature).

Partly because of addition of an impurity element to Al and partlybecause of addition of an impurity element to Ag, usually the volumeresistivity is increased in proportion to the addition concentration.Presumably addition of impurities generally serves to reduce the grainsize so that electron scattering at the grain boundary to cause adecreased heat conductivity. Accordingly to adjust the amount ofaddition impurities is significant to secure the high heat conductivityoriginating from the material per se by increasing the grain size.

The reflective layer is formed usually by the sputtering method orvacuum deposition; at that time, the total amount of impurities,containing the impurities of targets and materials to be deposited, andincluding the amount of water and oxygen which are mixed duringdeposition, is preferably less than 2 atomic %. For this purpose, whenthe reflective layer is deposited by sputtering, the target backgroundpressure of a process chamber should be preferably less than 1×10⁻³ Pa.

For depositing the reflective layer under a target background pressurehigher than 10⁻⁴ Pa, it is desirable that the deposition rate is 1 nm/sor faster and preferably 10 nm/s or faster to prevent invasion ofimpurities. Otherwise if the content of an intentional addition elementis more than 1 atomic %, it is desirable that the deposition rate is 10nm/s or faster to prevent invasion of additional impurities to aminimum.

The grain size can occasionally vary, depending on the depositioncondition. For example, in an alloy film in which about 2 atomic % of Tais mixed in Al, an amorphous phase usually exists between grains, andthe ratio of the crystal phase and the amorphous phase varies dependingon the deposition condition. More specifically, the lower the pressureunder which sputtering takes place, the percentage of the crystalportion increases so that the volume resistivity decreases (heatconductivity increase). And the impurity composition or crystallinity inthe film also depends on the manufacturing method for an alloy targetemployed in sputtering and even sputter gas (such as Ar, Ne, Xe). Thusthe volume resistivity of the reflective layer in a thin film is notdetermined only by the metal material and composition.

For obtaining high heat conductivities, as mentioned above, it ispreferred to reduce the impurity amount. On the other hand, pure metalof Al or Ag tends to be deteriorated in corrosion resistance and hillockresistance. Therefore an optimal composition is determined on balance ofthese two requirements.

The reflective layer in a multilayer structure is effective to obtainhigh heat conductance and high reliability. In this case, at least onelayer is preferably made of a material having the above-mentioned lowvolume resistivity and has a film thickness of 50% or more of the totalthickness of all reflective layers. This layer serves to substantiallygive a heat radiation effect, while the other layers serves to assist inimproving corrosion resistance, tightness of contact with the protectivelayer, and hillock resistance.

For example, Ag whose heat conductivity and volume resistivity are themaximum and the minimum in metals is inread-compatible with the upperprotective layer containing sulfur (S) and tends to be deterioratedslightly faster in repeated overwriting. Further, since Ag tends tocause corrosion under a high-temperature, high-humidity accelerationtest environment, it is also effective that an alloy layer smaller inthickness than the Ag-containing reflective layer and containing Al as amain component is provided as an interfacial layer between theAg-containing reflective layer and the upper protective layer. This Alalloy, likewise the foregoing, is exemplified by an Al alloy containing0.2 atomic % or more and less than 2 atomic % of at least one elementselected from the group consisting of Ta, Ti, Co, Cr, Si, Sc, Hf, Pd,Pt, Mg, Zr, Mo and Mn. If it is too small in thickness, the interfaciallayer is inadequate in protection effect. Otherwise if it is too largein thickness, the interfacial layer tends to be inadequate in heatradiation effect. Consequently the thickness of the interfacial layershould be usually in a range of from 5 to 100 nm and preferably in arange of from 5 to 50 nm. In the meantime, the film thickness of theAg-containing layer is usually in a range of 10 to 200 nm. If it is toothin, the Ag-containing layer is inadequate in heat radiation effect,and if it is too thick, the Ag-containing layer tends to be inadequatein erasure.

Furthermore, in the presence of the Ag-containing reflective layer andthe Al-containing interfacial layer, Ag and Al tends to relativelymutually diffuse. Consequently it is more preferable to oxidize thecontact surface of the Al-containing layer with the Ag-containing layerto form an interfacial oxidation layer. If it is too thick, theinterfacial oxidation layer serves as a heat resistance so that theoriginally intended function of the reflectively layer, which is high inheat radiation, can be impaired. Consequently the thickness of theinterfacial oxidation layer should be usually 10 nm or less andpreferably 5 nm or less. Otherwise if it is too thin, the function ofthe interfacial oxidation layer can be inadequate; therefore the filmthickness should be usually 1 nm or more. Such interfacial oxidationlayer is obtained by forming an Ag-containing interfacial layer and thenleaving the formed layer in air for a time period of from 1 minutes to100 hours.

The reflective layer in a multilayer structure is effective to obtain adesired sheet resistivity in a desired film thickness by combining ahigh-volume-resistivity material and a low-volume-resistivity materialtogether. Namely, adjustment in volume resistivity by combiningdifferent metals together can simplify the sputtering process with useof an alloy target and, at the same time, would rather cause a rise ofthe target manufacturing cost and an increase of raw material ratio ofthe medium. Depending on the situation, a multilayer structure composedof a thin film of pure Al or Ag and another thin film of theabove-mentioned addition element is effective to obtain a desired sheetresistivity. As long as the total number of layers is about 3 or less,the initial apparatus cost increases but the individual medium costrather can be kept reasonable.

In the present invention, it is also essential to consider theconstruction of the groove, which is formed in the substrate, to securea read-compatibility with CD. The track pitch of the groove is usually1.6 μm±0.1 μm. And the depth of the groove is usually in a range of from30 to 45 nm and preferably in a range of from 30 to 40 nm.

If the groove depth is too large, the push-pull signal value afterrecording tends to become too large, and the radial contrast value afterrecording tends to become too large as compared that value beforerecording so that the servo stability can be encountered with a problem.

Otherwise if the groove depth is too small, the radial contrast valueand the push-pull value can become smaller than a minimum valuerequested in CD-RW specification such as Orange Book, Part 3, and theconstraint effect of the recording layer by the groove wall becomesworse so that deterioration of the constraint effect due to repeatedoverwriting would tend to be promoted. Otherwise if the groove depth istoo small, it would be difficult to manufacture the stamper and to moldthe substrate.

With the groove geometric values in the foregoing ranges, the in-groovereflectivity becomes enough high and hence tends to satisfy 15%, whichis the minimum value of CD-RW specifications. And the amplitude ofpush-pull signal PPa after recording does not become too large so thatsaturation of the gain of a push-pull detector circuit even in anexisting uneven-pits retrieving circuit can be reduced.

The groove width is usually 0.4 μm or more and preferably 0.45 μm ormore, or usually 0.6 μm or less and preferably 0.55 μm or less. If thegroove width is too small, the absolute value of radial contrast afterrecording becomes difficult to satisfy a value of less than 0.6 inCDS-RW specifications. Otherwise if the groove width is too large,deterioration of overwriting durability due to the wobble tends tobecome remarkable.

The mechanism of promoting deterioration of the durability because ofthe wobble is not demonstrated, but it is supposedly because part ofrecording light beam tends to be irradiated to the groove sidewall.Namely, since a focused light beam under control of tracking servo runsstraightly along the groove center without following the meanders of thewobble groove geometry, the light beam tends to be irradiated to thegroove wall only by a slight part as the groove wall has meanders. Ingeneral, it is presumed that deterioration due to heat damage duringrepeated overwriting tends to occur as stress concentration tends tooccur at the groove walls and groove corners where the tightness ofcontact with the confronting thin film is inadequate. And when even partof light beam irradiates such portions, deterioration tends to be ratherpromoted. Also in general, in in-groove recording of the phase-changemedium, the deeper and narrower the groove, the recording layer tends togive a better durability. In the presence of wobble, if the groove widthis too narrow, deterioration phenomenon of the above-mentioned groovewalls supposedly becomes remarkable.

The groove width and depth may be measured by, for example, an opticaldiffraction method in terms of U-groove resemble using He-Ne laser lighthaving a wavelength of 633 nm. Alternatively the groove geometry may beactually measured on a scanning electron microscope (SEM) or a scanningprove microscope (SPM). In this case, for the groove width, it ispreferable to use a value that is usually a half the groove depth. Onthe optical recording medium of the present invention, recording by theCAV method described later can be made. Namely, on the medium of thepresent invention, data can be recorded at a constant angular velocity,irrespective of the radial position where the recording takes place. Inthis case, retrieving also can be made at a constant angular velocitywhich is preferably equal to that in the recording.

4. General Recording Method

In the present invention, on the above-mentioned rewritable opticalrecording medium, recording is carried out at at least the 8-timesvelocity and particularly at 8-times and 10 times velocities, or 8-timesand 4-times velocities, or 4-times, 8-times and 10-times velocities. Inthis case, overwriting can be made the following divided pulse method(I). As a result, it is possible to record a signal which is wellread-compatible with the existing CD retrieving system.

Divided Pulse Method (I):

When an individual recorded mark has a time length nT (T is thereference clock period, and n is an integer within a range of from 3 to11),

-   -   recording light of erasure power Pe, which is able to        crystallize an amorphous structure, irradiates inter-mark        portions,    -   for the recorded marks, the time length (n−j)T is divided into        α₁T, β₁T, α₂T, β₂T, . . . , α_(m)T, β_(m)T (where m=n−1 or        m=n−2) in this sequence so as to satisfy Σ_(i)(α_(i)+β_(i))=n−j        (j is a real number within a range of 0.0≦j≦2.0), and    -   the recording light of recording power Pw (Pw>Pe, preferably        Pw=from Pe/0.3 to Pe/0.6) which is able to melt the recording        layer within the time length α_(i)T (1≦i≦m), irradiates the        recording layer, and irradiating the recording light of bias        power Pb (Pb≦0.5Pe) within the time length β_(i)T (1≦i≦m) to the        recording layer to overwrite.

In this divided pulse method, if m=n−1, such overwriting corresponds tothe overwriting according to the divided pulse method normalized by thecurrent CD-RW specifications. Therefore this condition is preferable totake read-compatibility with the existing circuits for CD-RW recorder.

In the foregoing, for accurately adjusting the length of an amorphousmark to be formed, the section jT can be set. The section jT is usuallyadded to the head and/or tail of the above-mentioned divided pulse,during which recording light of the erasure power Pe is irradiated.

The bias power Pb is preferably a value substantially equal to that ofthe read power Pr needed for retrieving by retrieving light, usually 1.5mW or less and particularly 1.0 mW or less. As long as it causes noproblem with focusing and tracking servo, this value is preferred asnearly to 0 as possible so that the rapid cooling effect in thePb-irradiation section (off-pulse section) can be promoted. The valuesof Pw, Pe and Pb should by no means be constant always; for example,superposition of high frequency may be added by a cycle of a clockperiod T of about V₁₀ to stabilize the operation of the laser. In thiscase, Pw, Pe and Pb are mean values.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrates the above-mentioned divided pulsemethod; (a) shows mark-length-modulated data and how to record the data,(b) shows the case of m=n−1, and (c) shows the case of m=n−2. In (b) and(c), T is omitted from α and β at every occurrence for convenience ofillustration.

In the above-mentioned recording method, when overwriting can be madefor at least m=n−1, good overwriting is realized with takingread-compatibility with CD-RW specifications. Namely, the signalcharacteristic, which is the one after overwriting an EFM-modulatedsignal, has a read-compatibility with CD when the above-mentionedmodulation m₁₁ is 60% or more and the asymmetry is near 0. Further, therecording is made with keeping a recording quality such that therespective jitters of each mark and each inter-mark (space) of a signalto be retrieved is 35 ns or less (retrieving at the 1-times velocity),and each mark and inter-mark has a length equal to about nT×V (T is adata reference clock period, n is an integer from 3 to 10, V is a linearretrieving velocity). This means that in practice, the disc can beretrieved, with a low error rate, on a commercially available CD-ROMdrive which is able to retrieve a CD-RW.

In the above-mentioned recording method, after a retrieving signal hasbeen passed through a high-pass filter, measurement of the jitter iscarried out by detecting the mark length by DC slicing with the centerof the signal amplitude being defined as a threshold.

On the medium of the present invention, overwriting is made by any ofthe two divided pulse method in which preferably m=n−1 and m=n−2,respectively. Further, on the medium of the present invention, recordingis made at various linear velocities described later. At that time, forany linear velocity, the divided pulse method illustrated in (a) and (b)of FIG. 1 is employed in which a mark having an nT length is usuallypulse-divided into a plurality of sub-divided time lengths, and therecording power Pw and the bias power Pb are alternately irradiated. Ingeneral, the optimal values of parameters determining the practicalmethod varies depending on the linear velocity consequently, on themedium of the present invention, it is preferable to previously describeat lease one of various items of divided pulse information, such as theoptimum recording power Pw₀ according to the recording linear velocity,the optimum erasure power Pe₀, the optimum bias power Pb₀, α_(i) is atleast one selected from 1 through m), β_(i) (i is at least one selectedfrom 1 through m), the number of sub-divided pulses m.

Regarding the medium of the present invention, if the recording methodis determined, the overwriting characteristic at an arbitrary linearvelocity, which is selected from 4-times through the 10-times velocity,can be determined substantially univocally. In other words, in FIG. 3, acurve “c” with the recording pulse strategy taken into account isdefined for the 4-times velocity and the 10-times velocity; this is,each of the cooling rate R_(c) required for the medium and the retentiontime τ for crystallization is determined substantially univocally.

Further, at an arbitrary linear velocity between the 4-times velocityand the 10-times velocity, preferably an arbitrary linear velocitybetween the 1-times velocity and the 10-times velocity, the medium ofthe present invention, as a rewritable optical recording medium, enablesexcellent retrieving on the conventional CD-RW-retrievable system andfacilitates taking read-compatibility between the medium and the drive.

5. Recording Method by CLV Operation

The recording method according to a third aspect of the presentinvention will now be described.

As mentioned above, one of the reasons why high-speed recording couldnot be realized on CD-RW so far, is that a strict recording pulsestrategy (divided pulse method) is defined by CD-RW specifications.Namely, recording at a wide variety of velocities ranging from the4-times velocity to 8- and 10-times or higher velocities must be carriedout by the recording pulse strategy normalized by CD-RWSpecifications—Orange Book Part 3, Version 2.0, the strategy beingillustrated in FIG. 4.

Nonetheless, when recording mark-length-modulated data on a phase-changemedium in terms of mark and inter-mark lengths, the ratio of the maximumeffective linear velocity to the minimum effective linear velocity ispractically limited to roughly 2 for the fixed recording pulse strategy.

Consequently, the recording method of the present invention employs thefollowing three divided pulse methods, which are basically similar tothe divided pulse method (I), when recording by CLV (constant linearvelocity) at a selected constant linear velocity various velocitiesranging from 1-times to 10-times.

In recording EFM-modulated information on a rewritable optical recordingmedium, having a phase-change recording layer, in terms of a pluralityof mark and inter-mark lengths, if an individual recorded mark has atime length nT,

-   -   recording light of erasure power Pe, which is able to        crystallize an amorphous-state portion, irradiates inter-mark        portions,    -   for the recorded marks, the time length (n−j)T is divided into        α₁T, β₁T, α₂T, β₂T, . . . , α_(m)T, β_(m)T (where m=n−1 or        m=n−2) in this sequence so as to satisfy Σ_(i)(α_(i)+β_(i))=n−j        (j is a real number within a range of 0.0≦j≦2.0), and    -   the recording light of recording power Pw (Pw>Pe, preferably        Pw=from Pe/0.3 to Pe/0.6), which is able to melt the recording        layer within the time length α_(i)T (1≦i≦m), irradiates the        recording layer, and irradiating the recording light of bias        power Pb (Pb≦0.5Pe) within the time length β_(i)T (1≦i≦m) to the        recording layer to overwrite.

When a linear velocity within a range of 1.2 m/s to 1.4 m/s is areference velocity (1-times velocity) and 231 nsec (ns) is a referenceclock period,

-   -   (1) for the 4-times velocity, α_(i)=from 0.3 to 1.5, α_(i)=from        0.2 to 0.7 (2≦i≦m), α_(i)+β_(i-1)=from 1 to 1.5 (3≦i≦m),    -   (2) for the 1- or the 2-times velocity, α_(i)=from 0.05 to 1.0,        α_(i)=from 0.05 to 0.5 (2≦i≦m), α_(i)+β_(i-1)=from 1 to 1.5        (3≦i≦m), and    -   (3) for any of 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-times velocities, α₁=from 0.3        to 2, α_(i)=from 0.3 to 1 (2≦i≦m), α_(i)+β_(i-1)=from 1 to 1.5        (3≦i≦m).

In the above-mentioned recording method, for each linear velocity, α_(i)(2≦i≦m) and/or α_(i)+β_(i-1) (3≦i≦m) are preferably substantiallyconstant irrespective of i so that a later-described simple pulsegenerator circuit can be utilized. Thus for each linear velocity of (1)through (3) above, α_(i)+β_(i-1) is preferably a constant value of about1 irrespective of i. Further, the head pulse α₁ is longer than thesucceeding pulse α_(i) (2≦i≦m), particularly α_(i)/α₁=from 0.3 to 0.7and preferably 0.4 to 0.7, so that a short mark of 3T or 4T and a longmark of 5T or longer can be recorded exactly in their respective marklengths, bringing the asymmetry close to 0. This is particularlyeffective for 4-times or higher velocity.

For each linear velocity of (1) to (3), β₁ and β_(m) is selected asindependent parameters and may be variable; but each of their values arepreferably in a range of from 0 to 1.5 and more preferably in a range offrom 0.25 to 1.25.

And the values of Pw, Pe and Pb should by no means be constant always.For example, the power Pw of the recording light to irradiate during thesection α₁T or α_(m)T and the power Pw of the recording light toirradiate during the section α_(i)T (i=from 2 to m−1) may be mutuallydifferent values.

The number of sub-divided pulses m is one selected from n−1 or n−2 foreach linear velocity of (1) through (3) above. Alternatively the valueof m may be varied according to the linear velocity; for 4-times orlower velocity, the recorded pulse is divided into n−1 as shown in (b)of FIG. 1, and for 4-times or higher velocity, the recorded pulse isdivided into n−2 as shown in (c) of FIG. 1.

In the above-mentioned recording method of the present invention, foreach linear velocity to be used, the recorded pulse width α_(i)T (i=from1 to m) and the off-pulse section β_(i)T (i=from 1 to m−1) are 10 ns ormore and preferably 15 nm or more. If α_(i)T or β_(i)T is too small, therising time and falling time of recording laser in the current ordinaryrecording apparatus are preferably at least 2, 3 ns; therefore, accurateadjustment of the pulse is difficult to achieve. Consequently thereference clock period T is at least 19.3 ns, which can cope with the2-times velocity, and preferably at least 23. 1 ns, which can cope withthe 10-times velocity. If the off-pulse section β_(i)T (i=from 1 to m−1)is too small, the cooling rate of the recording layer can be inadequate.

The current CD-RW medium has to accurately record a CD-read-compatiblesignal by the divided pulse method (α₁=1, α_(i)=0.5 (i=from 2 to m),α_(i)+β_(i-1)=1 (i=from 2 to m), β_(m)=0.5), but it is possible toobtain a better characteristic by adding a compensation of about ±0.3Ton the recording apparatus side without a considerable reconstruction tothe recording apparatus per se. Consequently for the 4-times velocity,the parameters of the above-mentioned divided pulse method, likewise (1)above, are:

-   -   α₁=from 0.75 to 1.25, α_(i)=from 0.2 to 0.7 (2≦i≦m),        α_(i)+β_(i-1)=from 1 to 1.5 (3≦i≦m).

For a low linear velocity, i.e. 1-times or the 2-times velocity, whichis lower than the 4-times velocity, the parameters (2) above of thedivided pulse method are:

-   -   α₁=from 0.05 to 1.0, α_(i)=from 0.05 to 0.5 (2≦i≦m),    -   α_(i)+β_(i-1)=from 1 to 1.5 (3≦i≦m, preferably 2≦i≦m),        so that the amplitude of the recorded pulse Pw is narrowed and        the associated off-pulse Pb irradiation section (off-pulse        section) is lengthened so that lowering of the recording layer        cooling rate for the low linear velocity is retarded and        recrystalization of the melted recording layer during        resolidification for the low linear velocity is retarded. As a        result, it is possible to obtain an amorphous mark whose width        and length are substantially identical with those when        overwriting at the 4-times velocity.

For a high linear velocity, i.e. any of 6-, 8-, 10-times and 12-timesvelocities, the parameters (3) above of the divided pulse method are:

-   -   α₁=from 0.3 to 2, α_(i)=from 0.3 to 1 (2≦i≦m),        α_(i)+β_(i-1)=from 1 to 1.5 (3≦i≦m, preferably 2≦i≦m), so that        the width α_(i)T of the recorded pulse is wide so that adequate        recording power can be given to melt the recording layer at high        linear velocity. As a result, it is possible to obtain an        amorphous mark whose width and length are substantially        identical with those when overwriting at the 4-times velocity.

Here the method of (3) above can be applied also for 10-times or higherlinear velocity, but it can be difficult to control laser pulsesaccurately as the data reference lock period becomes shorter withrespect to the high linear velocity. Consequently this method should beapplied for usually 20-times or lower velocity, preferably 12-times orlower velocity and more preferably 10-times or lower velocity.

When the number of sub-divided pulses m is constant, as n−1 or n−2, foreach linear velocity,

-   -   α₁=approximately 1, α_(i)=from 0.3 to 0.6 (2≦i≦m), and        α_(i)+β_(i-1) is constant (3≦i≦m, preferably 2≦i≦m).        Preferably in view of simplification of circuit, α_(i) is simply        reduced for the lower linear velocity (where i is an integer        within a range of from 2 to m). Further, for each linear        velocity to be used, each of α₁T, α_(i)T, and α_(i)+β_(i-1) is        constant (where i is an integer within a range of from 3 to m).        Here α₁ is approximately 1 but may be roughly in a range of from        0.9 to 1.1.

In the above-mentioned recording method of the present invention, β_(m)is constant for every linear velocity. Alternatively only β_(m) may bevaried with α_(i) and β_(i) kept constant; preferably it may be reducedfurther for the higher linear velocity. In this case, it may be β_(m)=0on the high velocity side.

Further, for simplifying the pulse generator circuit of the recordingapparatus, it is preferred that m is only one of n−1 or n−2 for all thelinear velocities.

At a high linear velocity over the 4-times velocity, the data referenceclock period T becomes shorter. Consequently, in the same divided pulsemethod as that for the 4-times velocity, usually 0.5T≈15 nsec for the8-times velocity, for example, and 0.5T≈12 nsec for the 10-timesvelocity. The recording laser pulse generator circuit would be difficultto follow unless the velocity is extremely high.

For a linear velocity over the 4-times velocity, the number ofsub-divided pulses m=n−2 to increase each pulse width, α_(i)+β_(i-1)(3≦i≦m) is roughly in a range of from 1 to 1.5, α₁ is in a range of from1.2 to 2.0, α_(i) is in a range of from 0.5 to 1.0. Thus these pulsewidths are relatively large so that a good response speed of recordinglaser can be achieved. This is effective particularly for 8-times orhigher velocity.

For 4-times or lower velocity, usually at the same linear velocity,Pe/Pw=from 0.3 to 0.6, preferably in a range of from 0.4 to 0.6. Pe andPw are preferably set in such a relation that Pe/Pw ratio is constant toobtain a wide recording power margin. On the other hand, for a highlinear velocity over the 4-times velocity, Pe, Pw may be setindependently from each other; for each linear velocity, a differentoptimum power may be determined.

For determining the optimum value Pwo of Pw for 4-times or higher linearvelocity, trial writing is previously made with recording light ofdifferent kinds of recording power Pw, and the recording power Pw suchthat an asymmetry value and modulation m₁₁ are within respectivelypredetermined ranges may be regarded as the optimum recording power Pw₀.In this case, actual recording is made with recording light of thedetermined optical recording power Pw₀. In the foregoing, the ranges ofthe asymmetry value and modulation m₁₁ may be previously described onthe medium in terms of phase-depth modulated pit (uneven pit) signals onthe disc surface or signals depending on the wobble groove geometry.

As a preferred embodiment of the recording method of the presentinvention, for simplifying the pulse division circuit, the same dividedpulse method is employed for from the 4-times velocity to at least the8-times velocity, even to the 10-times velocity depending on thesituation. Specifically, the number of sub-divided pulses m is constant,as n−1 or n−2. More preferably α_(i) (i is an integer in a range of from1 to m) is the same for all the linear velocities. At that time, it isparticularly preferable that for all the linear velocities,α_(i)+β_(i-1) (i=from 2 to m) is 1, and α_(i) is the same value.

FIG. 5(a) through (e), illustrates the manner in which pulses aregenerated in the recording method of the present invention; (a) is adata reference clock signal, (b) is mark-length-modulated data signal,and (c) through (e) are three kinds of gate signals Gate1, Gate2, Gate 3to be generated from three gate generator circuits in the recordingpulse generating circuit. If the priority sequence of these three gatesignals is previously determined, the divided pulse method of thepresent invention can be accomplished.

Gate1 determines the timing to generate a predetermined number of onlythe recording pulse generation section α₁T, and Gate2 determines thetiming to generate a predetermined number of succeeding pulses α_(i)T(2≦i≦m). Here the pulse width α_(i) is a constant value α_(C) (2≦i≦m).In the meantime, Gate 3 generates off-pulse generation sections β_(i)T;it generates Pb during ON (level high) and Pe during OFF (level low).

By independently determining the timing of rising of only α₁, it ispossible that β₁ has a different value from β_(i).

The rising timings of Gate 3 and Gate1 are preferably synchronized witheach other. Gate1 and Gate2 respectively generate Pw; when they are ON,Gate1 and Gate2 are ON, they have priority to Gate3. Assuming that thedelay period T₁ and α₁ of Gate1 and the delay period (T₁+T₂) and α_(c)of Gate2 are designated, it is possible to designate a pulse strategy inthe recording method of the present invention.

Here if T₁ is 1T or more, it becomes a pulse in the case of m=n−1 of (b)of FIG. 1. If T₁ is less than 1T to decrease the number of thesucceeding pulses by 1, it becomes a pulse in the case of m=n−2 of (c)of FIG. 1. Alternatively, β_(m-2)≧1.0.

In this case, β₁ and β_(m) can be treated as independent parameters thatare determined respectively by a combination of α₁, T₁ and T₂ and by thetail of Gate3. In (c) of FIG. 1, to satisfy β_(i-1)=from 1 to 1.5, theperiod of pulse of α_(i) to be generated by Gate 2 should be in a rangeof from 1 to 1.5.

By generating α_(i) (i=from 1 to m) in synchronism with a data referenceclock period T, a base clock which is ½ of the data reference clockperiod T, and a base clock which is ¼ of T in the form of the originalreference clock period T as multiplied by a predetermined number, it ispossible to vary the width of an actual pulse width commensurate withthe variation of T according to the linear velocity.

The above-mentioned recording method can generally offer a wideapplication to CD-RW mediums. When it is used with the medium accordingto the first aspect of the present invention, this recording method isuseful because a further improved user data area performance can beachieved. Preferably, by combining the recording layer, whoserecrystallization speed is high for recording at high linear velocity,with the multilayer structure as adjusted in view of thermal effect,good overwriting is realized at the 1-times velocity when α_(i)T is 10nsec or more and more preferably 15 nsec or more. This is true because,as a common knowledge for the 1-times velocity, which is low, theoff-pulse section β_(i)T should be increased while the recorded pulsesection α₁T should be decreased, but practically for the 1-timesvelocity, the minimum possible value of α_(i)T is only 0.05T≈12 nsec,and this figure is difficult to reduce.

6. Recording Method by CAV Operation

The recording method according to the fourth and fifth aspects of thepresent invention will now be described.

This recording method enables recording with CD-RW not only in CLV modebut in CAV mode; hitherto it was possible only in CLV mode, requiringsynchronization in rotation all the time during recording, which wouldbe poor in user data area and seek performance as the week point ofCD-RW media. This recording method improves the access and seekperformance to a great extent. The recording method is particularlyefficient when accessing the packets in radial positions recorded atrandom as if stepping stones, remarkably increasing the convenience ofthe recording medium as an external storage device for a computer.Further, hitherto in CLV recording, a large power would be consumed asthe motor is speeded up and slowed down due to the variation of angularspeed. Whereas in this recording method, it is unnecessary to repeatedlyvary the angular speed of the motor, reducing the power consumption ofthe CD-RW drive by a large extent.

CD-RW is usually in the form of a disc which is 12 cm in diameter andhas a recording area (information area) ranging from at least 23 to 58mm, preferably from 22 to 58 mm in radius. When this disc is rotated atapproximately 2,000 r.p.m. which is equivalent to the 4-times velocityon the innermost track of the recording area, the linear velocitybecomes roughly 10 times the reference (1-times) velocity when the lightbeam is on the outermost track, 58 mm in radius, of the recording area.In short, usually in CAV recording, when the linear velocity on theinnermost track is 4 times the reference velocity, that on the outermosttrack will be roughly 10 times the reference velocity.

At that time, if the data reference clock period T is varied in inverseproportion to the radial distance in such a manner that the product VTof T and the linear velocity V at the individual radial position, themark length nT is constant, irrespective of the corresponding angularvelocity. As a result, uniform-linear-density recording read-compatiblewith CD is realized for the recording in CAV mode.

Here, the recording area includes, in addition to the user data area, atrial writing area to be used by the system, and lead-in and lead-outareas. Consequently the radial positions, i.e. 22 mm and 58 mm off thedisc center, may include roughly ±1 mm in tolerance. Commensurate withthis tolerance, frequency values to be used in the following conditionsencounter slight errors, which also are allowable.

FIG. 6 schematically shows a recording apparatus, as one illustrativeexample, for carrying out the recording method of the present invention.

In FIG. 6, an optical disc D1 comprises a substrate, which has a spiralgroove meandering depending on a signal having a carrier frequencyf_(L0) whose space frequency is constant, and a recording layer, thesignal being modulated by address information. Also the disc D1 hasaddress information identifying recording blocks, each regarded as arecorded information unit located at a given position in the spiralgroove, and synchronization signals each identifying the head of asingle recording block. In FIG. 6, a rewritable compact disc (CD-RW) isassumed as the optical disc; at f_(L0)=22.05 kHz, address information isATIP (absolute time in pre-groove) information whose carrier frequencyf_(L0) has been modulated by ±1 kHz. And when the wobble of the groovemeanders in a way that the carrier frequency f_(L0) is 22.05 kHz whenretrieving takes place at a linear velocity in a range of from 1.2 to1.4 m/s.

The optical disc recording/retrieving apparatus 1 has a spindle motor M1for causing the disc to revolve about its center, as the axis, at aconstant angular velocity, and a linear motor serving, in cooperationwith a radial moving mechanism (LM1), to radially move an opticalpick-up PU1 to a given address. The pick-up PU1, which generates afocused light beam for recording/retrieving, is equipped with a focusservo circuit (FE1) for diverging a focused light beam from a lightsource, in the form of a laser diode, onto the recording layer surfaceof the optical disc, and a groove tracking servo circuit (TE1) forcontrolling the motion of the pick-up PU1 in a way that the focusedlight beam scans along the spiral groove. In this focus servo circuit, aknown method, such as the astigmatic method and the Foucault's method,is employed. In the tracking servo circuit, a known method, such as thepush-pull method or the 3-beam method, is employed (as disclosed in abook named “Compact Disc Textbook 3rd Revision” (as literallytranslated) by Heitaro Nakajima and Hiroshi Ogawa, published from OhmCo., Ltd., a Japanese publisher).

The optical disc recording/retrieving apparatus 1 further comprises awobble detecting and decoding circuit (WAD1) for detecting and decodinga carrier frequency f_(A0), address information and a blocksynchronization pattern from the wobble of the groove, a data-sequencegeneration circuit for generating a recording data sequence, which ismodulated in terms of mark lengths by encoders ED1 and ED2, insynchronism with the head of the recorded block and data reference clockT (frequency f_(d0)), and a laser-power modulation circuit (WP1) formodulating the recording laser power in correspondence with therecording data sequence.

The optical disc D1 is driven at a constant angular velocity (CAV) bythe motor M1. Specifically, the disc is rotated at a constant angularvelocity ω₀ in a range of from 1,900 to 2,000 r.p.m. in a way that thelinear velocity on the innermost track, roughly 22 mm in radius, of therecording medium is 4 times of from 1.2 to 1.4 m/s and preferably 4times of 1.2 m/s. The CAV rotation is maintained within an accuracy ofseveral % in rotation jitter by monitoring the rotation of the spindlemotor M1 by a tachometer for feedback of a possible difference with apredetermined r.p.m.

A push-pull signal P1 is retrieved via an amplifier/filter system AF1,then a wobble signal is detected, and an ATIP signal is decoded,whereupon a synchronization pattern and address information, which arecontained in the wobble signal, are decoded. The address information,the synchronization pattern are consulted with access/servo control CPU1which controls a given address movement of the pick-up PU1. For controlof the address movement, the radial movement, which is caused by a roughmovement mechanism driven by the linear motor LM1 with the trackingserve TE1 in OFF state, and the fine adjustment (fine adjustment ininclination of objective lens by CPU1), which is made referring to theATIP address, with the tracking servo in ON state near a given address,are controlled by CPU1.

If the pick-up PU1 has been confirmed to-having reached a given address,a clock of the data reference clock generator circuit CK1 and asynchronization signal of ATIP, whereupon recording is made in a givenATIP frame. In the case of CD-ROM data, firstly ROM data is encoded bythe encoder ED1, then CD data is encoded by the encoder ED2. The databit sequence, which is yet in synchronism with the data reference clock,is converted into a recording pulse sequence by the laser-powermodulation circuit WP1 so that a laser driver LD1 is energized to makeoverwriting.

For retrieving, after the pick-up PU1 has reached a given address, aretrieving signal is retrieved via the amplifier/filter system AF1 andan RF signal binary circuit system RF1. And synchronizing the datareference clock and the EFM frame with each other, the CD data isdecoded by encoder ED2, and also CD-ROM data is decoded by encoder ED1.

The optical recording method by dividing the pulse during recording inCAV mode is exemplified by the following two methods, which are similarto the above-mentioned divided pulse method (2).

The First Method:

A method of recording EFM-modulated information in terms of various markand inter-mark lengths on a rewritable disc-shaped optical recordingmedium having a phase-change recording layer, which has a recordingarea, by CAV (constant angular velocity) operation, is carried out inthe following manner:

-   -   the disc is rotated in a way that a linear velocity on the        outermost track of the recording area is at least 10 times a        reference velocity (1-times velocity) being within a range of        1.2 m/s to 1.4 m/s,    -   when an individual recorded mark has a time length nT (T is the        data reference clock period varying in a way that the product VT        with the linear velocity V in the radial position is constant,        and n is an integer within a range of from 3 to 11),    -   recording light of erasure power Pe, which is able to        crystallize an amorphous-state portion, irradiates inter-mark        portions,    -   for the recorded marks, the time length (n−j)T is divided into        α₁T, β₁T, α₂T, β₂T, . . . , α_(m)T, β_(m)T    -   (where m=n−1        -   α₁=from 0.75 to 1.25,        -   α_(i)=from 0.25 to 0.75 (2≦i≦m),        -   α_(i)+β_(i-1)=from 1 to 1.5 (3≦i≦m))            in this sequence so as to satisfy Σ_(i)(d_(i)+β_(i))=n−j (j            is a real number within a range of 0.0≦j≦2.0),    -   the recording light of recording power Pw (Pw>Pe, preferably        Pw=from Pe/0.3 to Pe/0.6), which is able to melt the recording        layer within the time length α_(i)T (1≦i≦m), irradiates the        recording layer, and the recording light of bias power Pb        (0<Pb≦0.5Pe) within the time length β_(i)T (1≦i≦m) irradiates        the recording layer to overwrite, and    -   for any radial position, with α₁ and α_(i)+β_(i-1) (i=from 3 to        m, preferably i=from 2 to m) kept constant, α_(i) (i=from 2        to m) is monotonically decreased to the innermost track.

Namely, the number of sub-divided pulses is fixed at m=n−1, α₁ is in arange of from 0.75 to 1.25, α_(i) (i=from 2 to m) is in a range of from0.25 to 0.75, α_(i)+β_(i-1) (i=from 3 to m) is in a range of from 1.0 to1.5. These values are fixed irrespective of the radial position. Withthese parameters fixed, by varying only the reference clock period T bya simple circuit as shown in FIG. 5, it is possible to generate arecorded pulses with ease. Here α_(i) (i=from 2 to m) and/orα_(i)+β_(i-1) (i=from 3 to m) are preferably constant irrespective of i.α₁ also is preferably a constant value and more particularly fixed to 1.If α₁=1 and α_(i)+β_(i-1)=1 (i=from 2 to m), every recorded pulse α_(i)T(i=from 1 to m) is generated in synchronism with the reference clock T,simplifying the divided pulse generator circuit.

This recording method is useful to make particularly good recordingand/or retrieving when applied to the rewritable compact disc (CD-RW) ofthe present invention to which disc overwriting can be made in a widerange of linear velocities, i.e. from 4-times to 10-times velocities.

The second optical recording method for recording in CAV mode:

-   -   the disc-shaped optical recording medium is rotated in a way        that a linear velocity at the outermost periphery of the        recording area is as high as 10 times of a reference velocity        (1-times velocity) as defined to be within a range of from 1.2        m/s to 1.4 m/s,    -   if a time length of an individual recorded mark is nT (T is a        data reference clock period varying according to its radial        position in a way that a product VT (V is a linear velocity in        the radial position is constant, and n is an integer within a        range of from 3 to 11),    -   recording light of erasure power Pe, which is able to        crystallize an amorphous-state portion, irradiates inter-mark        portions,    -   for the recorded marks, the time length (n−j)T is divided into        α₁T, β₁T, α₂T, β₂T, . . . , α_(m)T, β_(m)T    -   (where m=n−1,        -   α₁/α_(i)=from 0.3 to 0.7 (i is an integer of from 2 to m),        -   α_(i)+β_(i-1)=approximately 1 (3≦i≦m)) in this sequence            so as to satisfy Σ_(i)(α_(i)+β_(i))=n−j (j is a real number            of 0.0≦j≦2.0),    -   within the time length α_(i)T (1≦i≦m), the recording light,        whose record power Pw (Pw>Pe) is enough to melt the recording        layer, irradiates the recording layer, and within the time        length β_(i)T (1≦i≦m), the recording light of bias power Pb        (0<Pb≦0.5Pe) irradiates the recording layer to make overwriting,        and    -   each of α_(i)T (i=from 2 to m) and α₁+β_(i-1) (i=from 3 to m) is        constant for any radial position.

In this case, preferably, α_(i) is constant irrespective of i (2≦i≦m),α_(i)+β_(i-1) is constant (2≦i≦m) in a range of from 1 to 1.5irrespective of i, and in addition, α₁T and α_(i)T (i=from 2 to m),α_(i)+β_(i-1) (i=from 3 to m) are preferably constant irrespective ofthe linear velocity. α₁T may be combined with a constant time T_(top)and a constant α₁′ irrespective of the linear velocity, asα₁T=T_(top)+α₁′T.

In order to accomplish that α₁T and α_(i)T (i=from 2 to m) is constantirrespective of the linear velocity, T is monotonically increased forthe lower linear velocity, and α₁ and α_(i) are monotonically reducedfor the lower linear velocity. Accordingly, the lower the linearvelocity, the higher the cooling rate of the recording layer can beincreased, requiring only a pulse generator circuit.

In the above-mentioned second recording method, the wording “α₁T orα_(i)T (i=from 2 to m) is constant” means: it is constant with anallowed resolution of set values of the divided pulse generator circuitwith a tolerance of roughly ±10%.

In either of the first and second recording methods, β_(m) may be eitherconstant or variable, irrespective of the linear velocity. When it isvariable, β_(m) is preferable to be increased further for the innerradial position, namely, for the lower linear velocity.

More preferably, the radial direction is divided into a plurality ofvirtual zones, and β_(m) is varied stepwise one step for each zone.Particularly in a range of from 0 to 1.5, β_(m) is preferablymonotonically increased further for the radially inner zone, namely, thelower-linear-velocity zone so that the cooling rate of the recordinglayer for the lower linear velocity can be efficiently prevented fromlowering. In this case, if β_(m) is too large, erasure of the inter-markfollowing the tail of the mark can be only incomplete even forrelatively low linear velocities.

For realizing the above-mentioned pulse strategy that varies β_(m), inFIG. 5, it is enough that a single fixed-length pulse (Gate1) of a widthα₁T and a plurality of fixed-length pulses (Gate2) of the followingwidth α_(i)T (i=from 2 to m) are generated, while only Gate3 determiningthe endmost off-pulse length.

Further, as described above in connection with the second aspect to thepresent invention, for any radial position, α_(i)T (i=from 1 to m) andβ_(i)T (i=from 1 to m−1) are preferably 10 nsec or more.

In the above-mentioned first and second recording methods, it ispreferable that β_(m) for the maximum linear velocity during overwritingis β_(Hm) and β_(m) for the minimum linear velocity is β_(Lm), and β_(m)for the linear velocity during each overwriting is obtained byinterpolating from values of β_(Lm) and β_(Hm). And Pb, Pw and Pe/Pwratio are preferably constant irrespective of the linear velocity duringoverwriting.

In this case, it is preferable that information relating to therecording power and divided pulse information are previously describedon the disc in terms of uneven-pit (phase-depth modulated pits) orgroove wobble signals. As a result, it is possible to automaticallyselect an optimum pulse strategy. The information to be described isexemplified by all or part of the values of Pe/Pw ratio, optimumrecording power Pw₀, optimum erase power Pe₀, optimum bias power Pb₀,α₁, α_(i), α₁T, α_(i)T, α_(i)+β_(i-1), β_(Lm) and β_(Hm).

Alternatively, the recording power information may be the optimumrecording power Pw₀ in absolute value, and for another alternative, itmay be an parameter to be referred in trial writing to determine Pw₀.

In the recording method of the present invention, various methods may besuggested for generating data reference clock inverse proportional tothe radial distance and reference clock period, but the followingexamples (i) through (iv) are preferred. Here, it is assumed, as anillustrative example, that the carrier frequency of wobble f_(L0) at the1-times velocity in CLV mode is approximately 22.05 kHz, the linearvelocities at the innermost and outermost tracks of the recording areain CAV mode are respectively the 4-times and 10-times velocities, andthe data reference clock is 196 times the carrier frequency. The termapproximately means a tolerable system power, which is usually below 0.1kHz.

[Data Reference Clock Generating Method (i)]

The medium has a spiral groove to which wobble having a carrierfrequency of f_(L0)=approximately 22.05 kHz in terms of the frequency atthe 1-times velocity is imparted. This medium can be used also as aCD-RW medium for usual recording at high velocity in CLV mode.

Assuming that the wobble of the meandering groove is constant at afrequency corresponding to the carrier frequency f_(L0)=approximately22.05 kHz, during the CAV rotation, the carrier frequency f_(A0) of thewobble to be retrieved according to the radial position, namely,according to the linear velocity corresponding to the radial positionvaries as apparent values. And by multiplying the carrier frequencyf_(A0) of the wobble, which is to be retrieved at the radial positionduring CAV rotation, by a multiplier of 196, it is possible to obtain adata reference clock frequency proportional to the radius.

As recording takes place in synchronism with the data reference clockfrequency proportional to the radius, it is possible to realize themark-length-modulated recording at a constant linear in spite of CAVmode.

Specifically, given that the wobble signal has been described on thesubstrate in the 1-times-velocity mode of CLV rotation, if the medium isrotated at CAV, it is possible to make constant in space frequency,namely, in linear density by generating a data reference clock frequencyusing the same multiplier irrespective of the radial position.

For example, if the linear velocity on the innermost track of therecording area is the 4-times velocity and the linear velocity on theoutermost track of the recording area is the 10-times velocity, thecarrier frequency f_(A0) of the wobble to be retrieved in CAV mode willbe approximately 22.05×4=88.2 kHz on the innermost track andapproximately 22.05×10=220.5 kHz on the outermost track of the recordingarea, respectively. The frequencies 196 times these resultingfrequencies, i.e. approximately 17.287 MHz (on the innermost track ofthe recording area) and approximately 43.218 MHz (on the outermost trackof the recording area) are data reference clock frequencies. In thiscase, the data reference clock period T will be approximately 57.8 nsecfor the innermost track of the recording area and approximately 23.1nsec for the outermost track of the recording area, respectively. In theintermediate radial positions, it is suffice that the data referenceclock period inverse proportional to the radius is generated.

In the meantime, because its frequency is modulated by ±1 kHz with anATIP signal, the wobble signal has an actual frequency is 22.05±1 kHz,and a cycle of the wobble signal encounters with fluctuations ofapproximately ±4.5%. If data reference clock period were obtained bymerely multiplying this fluctuating signal a predetermined number oftimes, yet a deviation of ±4.5% of the mark length would have occurred.Generally in the mark-length recording, this deviation is called “phaseshift”; in the presence of phase shift of nearly 5%, there would be afear that proper demodulation might not be demodulated.

Therefore, likewise this case, it is necessary to extract only thecarrier frequency f_(A0) from the wobble signal, whose frequency hasbeen modulated, before multiplying the carrier frequency f_(A0) apredetermined number of times, in the following manner.

First of all, as usual, with the disc kept rotating, a push-pull signalis detected to retrieve the wobble signal.

F_(A0) varies from 88.2 kHz to 220.5 kHz by a width of 132.3 kHzthroughout the innermost track radius R_(in) to the outermost trackradius R_(out), as mentioned above, in response to which data referenceclock also varies from 17.287 MHz to 43.218 MHz. (In the meantime, therepeating frequency of an 11T mark and an 11T space portion varies fromapproximately 786 kHz to 1.96 MHz.)

Consequently, the data component mixed in the push-pull signal isremoved off by a band filter or a low-pass filter, which allows only anarrow range of frequency containing the above-mentioned f_(A0) to pass.

Then information about the radius R, where the radially movable pick-up,is obtained by a drive system, and in synchronism with the obtainedinformation, an estimating frequency f_(R0) (kHz) for estimating f_(A0)approximately is generated in accordance with the following formula:f _(R0)=88.4+132.3×(R−R _(in))/(R _(out) −R _(in))  (3)

And by extracting (tuning) the carrier frequency f_(A0) with sweeping areference frequency in a narrow range near the estimation frequencyf_(R0), it is possible to detect the carrier frequency f_(A0) with ease.Then a reference data clock commensurate with the disc radius isobtained as the detected carrier frequency f_(A0) is multiplied by 196.

Usually, since the address information on the disc is incorporated asATIP information as modulated by ±1 kHz, a wobble retrieving signal ismodulated in frequency using the detected carrier frequency f_(A0) todetect the ATIP information, and the address recorded in a sub-code interms of absolute time is confirmed, whereupon data synchronization isestablished from a synchronization pattern contained in the ATIP signal.As a result, the data reference clock synchronized with not only thesynchronization pattern of the ATIP signal but also the disc rotation.

After that, a recording pulse sequence for overwriting user data to aspecified EFM frame is generated in synchronism with the synchronizationpattern to make recording.

FIG. 7(a) shows one example of flow of operation in which the pick-up ismoved to a given address in CAV mode in accordance with this method (i),then the carrier frequency of wobble is extracted to generate a datareference clock. In FIG. 7(a), a dotted line indicates the flow ofsignals f_(A0), f_(d0) rather than the flow of operation.

First of all, likewise CD to be retrieved by the usual CAV method, withthe tracking servo in OFF state at step A1, the pick-up is moved to agiven radial by rough motion of the linear motor at step A2, and trackcross signals are counted to grip the number of moved tracks at step A3.And it is discriminated whether the counted value has approached apredetermined count number necessary to reach the target track at stepA4, the tracking servo is made effective at step A5.

Then at step A6, the wobble signal is retrieved from the push-pullsignal to extract f_(A0). At that time, with consulting with and tuningwith the estimation value f_(R0), which is obtained by theabove-mentioned formula (3), of the carrier frequency of the wobble inthe radial position where the track is located as a demand arises,f_(A0) is extracted.

After or simultaneously with extraction of f_(A0), the ATIP informationis demodulated at step A7 to decode and get absolute informationcontained in the ATIP information. At step A8, consulting with theabsolute time, the pick-up is moved to a target address where data is tobe recorded.

At step A9, taking synchronization between the data reference clocksignal f_(d0), which has been obtained by multiplying f_(A0) with 196,and the synchronization pattern contained in the ATIP information, therecording pulse sequence based on EFM data to be recorded is generatedat step A10 to make overwriting.

In the foregoing illustrative example, the address information and thesynchronization pattern are recorded as ATIP information. Alternatively,as a substitute for the ATIP information, ADIP (Address In Pregroove)information (disclosed in a book named “All about MD” (as literallytranslated) by Masayuki Kawamura, published (1998) from Radio WavePress, a Japanese press company) to be used with a mini disc (MD) may berecorded.

In general, multiplying a frequency by 100 or more encounters witherror. Consequently the following both methods (ii) and (iii) are usedto increase accuracy of data reference clock frequency.

[Data Reference Clock Generation Method (ii)]

From absolute time information mm:ss:ee (m, ss, ee respectively standsfor minutes, seconds, frames) in an address where recording is to madeon the medium, a radius position of the address is found out bycomputation.

Because the time length of 1 frame of ATIP signal is usually equivalentto an inverse number of a frequency of 75 Hz, the space length of 1frame is v₀/75 and the total frame length to reach mm:ss:ee frame from00:00:00 is (v₀/75)×(75×(60×mm+ss)+ee) where v₀ is the 1-times linearvelocity.

Here assuming that the radius of absolute time 00:00:00 is regarded asR_(in) and the track pitch is TP, the total extension of the groove to(N_(T)+1)-th track when the radius of 0-th track is R_(in) is expressedby the following mathematical formula (4).

-   -   N_(T)        Σ(N·TP+R _(in))·2π  (4)    -   N=0

The total extension of the groove to (N_(T)+1)-th track is expressed bythe following mathematical formula (5).

-   -   N_(T)+1        Σ(N·TP+R _(in))·2π  (5)    -   N=0

N_(T) such that the above-mentioned total frame length is in a rangebetween the value of the mathematical formula (4) and that of themathematical formula (5) represents a track position of the address.This is the same procedure as when the number of tracks to reach thetarget address is estimated during moving the pick-up.

From such number of tracks NT from the innermost track, the radialposition R is computed by the following formula (6):R=R _(in) +N _(T) ·TP  (6)

In accordance with this R, an estimation frequency f_(R0) is generatedusing the formula (3). Because 1 frame as the minimum unit of addressinformation of ATIP is 1/75 sec, f_(R0) is updated at least every 1/75sec. This is equivalent to only approximately 1/10 of the track even onthe radial position of 22 mm off the disc center, so any possibledeviation of radial position is negligible.

Even in a recording area, such as a trial writing area and lead-in area,inside 00:00:00, a precise R can be computed by automaticallysubtracting N_(T) from R_(in) if N_(T) is set so as to become negativeat the radial position inside 00:00:00.

Alternatively, because the radial position computed from the addressinformation using the formula (6) is a fairly precise value with only asmall error corresponding to at most several tracks, a linear velocityfor the radius and a data reference clock at the linear velocity, f_(d0)(MHz)=1/T, can be estimated directly from R by the following formula(7):f _(d0) =f _(in)+25.9308(R−R _(in))/(R _(out) −R _(in))  (7)Here f_(in) is the data reference clock period at R_(in), being usually17.2872 MHz.

FIG. 7(b) illustrates how to generate a reference clock that is insynchronism with the rotation utilizing a reference signal f_(R0). InFIG. 7(b), a dotted line indicates flow of the reference signal, etc.rather than flow of operation. In FIG. 7(b), steps B1 through B5 areidentical with steps A1 through A5 of FIG. 7(a). At step B11 where thissignal flow proceeds parallel to the flow of operation of FIG. 7(b),first of all, a reference clock period f_(d0), which has been generated,based on the formula (7), from the radial position information computedfrom the absolute time address of the target address, is obtained, andthen the obtained reference clock period f_(d0) is divided into 1/196 toobtain a reference signal f_(R0) of the carrier frequency of the wobble.Then in step B6, f_(R0) is directly FM-demodulated as the carrierfrequency to decode ATIP. After the start of decoding, f_(d0) will bevaried referring to the absolute time information of ATIP. By confirmingat step B7 that the pick-up has arrived at a given address and thensynchronizing f_(d0) with the synchronization pattern of ATIP, areference clock in synchronism with the rotation of the disc is obtainedso that a recording pulse sequence can be generated at step B8. Then atstep B9, overwriting is made with this recording pulse sequence. Evenwhen the then-current address has been continuously moved to a greatextent as overwriting of huge recording information progresses,recording with substantially uniform linear density within a toleranceof mark length can be accomplished, irrespective of the change of radialposition, by automatically updating f_(d0) based on the addressinformation of ATIP, if necessary. This tolerance is roughly ±1%.

[Data Reference Clock Generation Method (iii)]

The disc substrate has, in addition to a wobble groove, single-frequencyclock marks, whose frequency is higher than the carrier frequency off_(L0)=approximately 22.05 kHz and which marks are imparted in CLV mode.With the disc kept in rotation at a constant angular velocity, the clockmarks are separated and detected and then multiplying a repeatingfrequency, which is obtained as the result of separation and detecting,by a predetermined number to generate a data reference clock. The datareference clock thus obtained is then synchronized with asynchronization pattern of the address signal, such as ATIP information,and the rotation of the disc.

If the frequency of the clock mark is within an intermediate frequencyband between the frequency band of the wobble signal and the frequencyband of the data, it can be sorted out from either of the wobblefrequency and the data frequency with ease using a band-pass filter.Namely, the clock mark frequency is preferably 2 or more times of thewobble frequency in terms of the frequency at the 1-times velocity androughly 1/22 (equivalent to a repeating space frequency of an 11T markand a space) or less of the data reference clock at the 1-timesvelocity.

More specifically, on the medium, clock marks are imparted which arearranged in a frequency of roughly from 60 to 196 kHz, namely, in asecond frequency f_(L2) that is 2 to 8 times of 22.05 kHz.

Further, with f_(L2) preset to 1/n of a data reference clock frequencyof 4.3218 MHz (n is an integer), f_(L2) is multiplied by n to obtaindata reference clock.

Having integrated the foregoing conditions, as a preferable feature, ifa frequency which are 2, 4 or 7 times of 22.05 kHz is employed asf_(L2), it can be sorted out from either of the wobble frequency and thedata frequency bands as a frequency of 1/n of 4.3218 MHz.

However, in varying the linear velocity on the same medium from the4-times velocity to the 10-times velocity throughout the recording areafrom the innermost track to the outermost track as mentioned above,separation of frequency bands is somehow complex as the frequency bandsof the wobble, clock marks and data are respectively distributed toabout 2.5 times throughout the recording area from the innermost trackto the outermost track.

Specifically, at the velocity in the range of from the 4-times to10-times velocities, the carrier frequencies of the wobble aredistributed from 88.2 kHz to 220.5 kHz as mentioned above, and a datacomponent is distributed in a range of from approximately 786 kHz toapproximately 1.96 Mhz as a repeating frequency of an 11T mark and aninter-mark space. Assuming that fL2 is 4 times of fL0=22.05 kHz, namely,f_(L2)=88.2 kHz, the repeating frequency of the clock mark at a velocity4 to 10 times the 1-times velocity in CAV mode is distributed throughoutthe frequencies ranging from 352.8 kHz to 882 kHz.

Therefore, it is difficult to sort out the clock mark frequencythroughout the entire recording area by a single band-pass filter.Consequently, as a preferable feature, with a plurality of virtual zonesprovided for every radius, the frequency band of the filter is changedfor every zone.

Further, if f_(L2) is allowed to be n/2 times the wobble frequency, therepeating frequency of the clock mark can be sorted out by a singleband-pass filter.

For example, if f_(L2) is allowed to be 3.5 times of f_(L0)=22.05 kHz(equivalent to 1/56 of 4.3218 MHz), namely, f_(L2)=77.175 kHz, therepeating frequency of the clock mark will be in a range of from 308.7kHz to 771.75 kHz at the 4-times to 10-times velocities in CAV mode sothat it can be differentiated from the frequency component of the data,which is in a range of from approximately 786 kHz to approximately 1.96MHz, by a width of roughly 10 kHz.

The clock mark is exemplified by a pit or an amorphous mark disposedbetween the grooves and a uniquely large, independent wobble having ashort space wavelength imparted to the groove. In the latter, the wobblefor clock mark has preferably a large amplitude in a range of roughly 50through 200 nm as compared with roughly 20 through 50 nm of the wobbleamplitude (peak-to-peak) in usual CD-RW. More preferably such clock markextends over and across, at least halfway, a ridge or a gorge of theusual wobble.

The physical length of the clock mark is preferably shorter than a 3Tmark (approximately 0.8 μm) so that the clock mark can be sorted outfrom the data frequencies with ease by a band-pass filter.

As is understood from the foregoing, when employing the above-mentionedmethod (iii), as a preferred feature according to the first aspect ofthe present invention, the wobble groove has a wobble signal, whosefrequency is modulated by ±1 kHz according to on ATIP information with acarrier frequency of approximately 22.05 kHz in terms of the frequencyat the 1-times velocity, and also has clock marks arranged along saidwobble groove at a repeating frequency in a range of from 2 to 8 timesof 22.05 kHz.

By substituting f_(A0) of FIG. 7(a) with the frequency, f_(L2)=77.15kHz, which has been generated from such clock mark, and 56 times off_(L2) is treated as the data reference clock frequency f_(d0), it ispossible to use the flowchart of FIG. 7(a) as it is.

[Data Reference Clock Generation Method (iv)]

This is a method in which a disc-shaped medium is used; the discsubstrate has a groove having a wobble signal whose frequency isconstant when the linear velocity is constant. And the wobble groove hasas address information and a synchronization pattern in terms of whetherthe wobble is modulated in phase or whether a specified position isdevoid of wobble (to zero the amplitude). Namely, in this method, forthis medium, it is preferable to use the medium according to the firstaspect of the present invention.

In this case, it is possible to generate a precise reference clock bydetecting the frequency of wobble with the disc rotating at a constantangular velocity, which would cause to loose a completeread-compatibility with the existing CD-RW because of the absence of anyATIP signal and which would not be influenced by fluctuation of thegroove meandering frequency due to frequency modulation, and by directlymultiplying the detected frequency by a predetermined number. Thisreference clock can be synchronized with the synchronization pattern ofthe address information and the rotation of the disc in accordance withthe address information and the synchronization information in the samemanner as that described in connection with the method (I).

Assuming that the wobble frequency in this case is 1/n (n is aninteger), roughly 1/22- 1/50, of the data reference clock frequencyf_(d0), it is possible to reduce multiplication errors so that thewobble frequency can be separated from the data frequency band. Bysubstituting f_(A0) of FIG. 7(a) with this wobble frequency, it ispossible to use the flowchart of FIG. 7(a) as it is.

The foregoing is an illustrative example of the method: in a blank discin unrecorded state or a disc having a recorded area and an unrecordedarea, from information previously described on the substrate as bygroove wobble, a data reference clock synchronized with rotation of thedisc and inverse proportional to the radius, and address information isread, whereupon a writing signal synchronous with the address isgenerated.

Alternatively, during manufacturing of a disc or at the first use of anunrecorded disc, formatting may be made to record address information,synchronization information and other information throughout the entirerecording area of the disc in terms of EFM-modulated signal.Subsequently this recorded signal may be utilized.

The purpose of formatting is only to record necessary data uniformlythroughout the entire disc surface; such necessary data should by nomeans be recorded in CAV mode and may be recorded in CLV mode at highvelocity, e.g. 8-times velocity. As an alternative, even in CAV mode, adata reference clock generator circuit may be employed as a separateunit to generate data that is synchronized with the disc rotation andincreases in frequency in proportion to the radial position. Andrecording may be made as the data reference clock is dynamically sweptoff.

From the EFM-modulated signal having been recorded, the data referenceclock can be directly extracted, increasing the accuracy of the clockperiod and of synchronization.

The formatting procedure is exemplified by the following methods (v) and(vi):

[Data Reference Clock Generation Method (v)]

This is the method in which absolute time information in sub-code ispreviously recorded as an EFM-modulated signal on the medium throughoutthe entire recording area.

The DFM-modulated signal is detected during recording on the mediumbeing rotated at a constant angular velocity, and then the datareference clock and the address information are obtained from theEFM-modulated signal. This clock is in inverse proportion to the radiusand is synchronized with the disc rotation of the disc and thesynchronization pattern of the sub-code. Then a writing signalsynchronized with the same clock and the address signal is generated.

If the absolute time is previously recorded in sub-code throughout theentire recording area as an EFM-modulated signal, user data is recordedas arbitrary data (usually a series of 0).

In this formatted disc, all the EFM-modulated signal and sub-codeinformation contained in it become accessible by the same method asCD-ROM to be retrieved in CAV mode. Then from the EFM-modulated signal,data reference clock period can be extracted.

This method is suitable when used in the situation where, like apostscript in a so-called multi-session method, data is relatively longand is to be added to the outer side of a continuous recorded areaextending from the inner side of the disc.

[Data Reference Clock Generation Method (vi)]

This is the method in which a block structure defined in DC-ROMspecifications (so-called Yellow Book) is previously recorded as anEFM-modulated signal on the medium throughout the entire recording area.

During recording on the medium being rotated at a constant angularvelocity, the EFM-modulated signal is detected, and a data referenceclock and address information are obtained from the detectedEFM-modulated signal. This clock is in inverse proportion to the radiusand in synchronism with the rotation of the disc and a synchronizationpattern of sub-code. Then a writing signal synchronous with the clockand the address signal is generated in the same manner as that describedabove.

Specifically, first of all, a block structure composed of 98 EFM frames(2,352 bytes) as a unit is previously recorded throughout the entirerecording area of the medium according to the CD-ROM format.

The block structure is a logic data structure defined in CD-ROMspecifications.

The individual blocks contains, in part of user data, a logic addresscalled the header and a synchronization signal, which are also recordedduring formatting.

Data is recorded in units each being composed of 98 frames. Firstly,object data to be recorded is divided for every 2,048 bytes, andsynchronization information of 12 bytes and a header of 4 bytes areadded to each sub-divided information.

Then the header and data except synchronization pattern are scrambled,and ECC (Error Correction Code) data is added. The resulting data andthe above-mentioned synchronization information added are interleavedwith each other, whereupon the rearranged data is divided into 98frames.

For each frame, the EFM frame synchronization and sub-code are added tothe frame head, and ECC data computed from the data of each frame isnewly added to the frame middle and the frame tail.

The sub-code contains various items of information such as absolute timeinformation; of 98 frames, only 0th and first frames each contain aframe synchronization signal.

In this manner, EFM-modulated signal to be recorded is created.

Preferably, formatting is made in the random packet write method inaccordance with UDF (Universal Disk Format) version 1.5 and forwards sothat the above-mentioned block structure is recorded even whenformatting an unrecorded disc. The random packet write method islegalized as a code by OSTA (Optical Storage Technology Association, anAmerican domestic business circle). Formatting for packet write is alsodefined in Orange Book Part 3, which is CD-RW specifications.

But, partly due to local overwriting, some discontinuation of sub-codedata could occur in a line section between packets (1 packet is composedof 16 or 32 blocks). Consequently it is preferred to have access byconsulting the block address recorded in a user data section of eachblock rather than address information contained in the sub-code.

This method is particularly useful when applied to the so-called randompacket write method in which data to be added is in the form of a shortfixed-length packet and is overwritten in a random position.

FIGS. 8 and 9 respectively illustrate one example of scheme to generatea data reference clock by moving the pick-up to a given address in CAVmode in accordance with the above-mentioned method (v) or (vi) and thenextracting the carrier frequency of wobble.

First of all, likewise usual CD to be retrieved by CAV method, with atracking servo in OFF state, the pick-up is moved to a given radialposition by rough motion of a linear motor and, in the meantime, trackcross signals are counted to grasp the number of tracked the pick-up hascrossed. When the counted value has approached to a preset count number,which represents the remaining tracks to cross to reach a target track,the tracking servo is actuated to control the after-then movement of thepick-up.

Here at step C6 or D6, also likewise the CD-ROM retrieving system in CAVmode, EFM data is retrieved from a recorded RF signal, and then a datareference clock is extracted from the EFM data.

In the case of utilizing the sub-code, at step C6 synchronization isestablished between the data reference clock and the rotation of thedisc from a frame synchronization system of the sub-code, andsubsequently at step C7 address information is obtained from thesub-code Q channel.

In the case of utilizing the block structure of CD-ROM data, at step D6synchronization is established by consulting with 12-bytesynchronization information at each block head, and subsequently at stepD7 address information is obtained the following header.

Further, in either case, after confirmation is made at step C8 or D8that the pick-up has arrived a given address, the address information isconverted into a recording pulse sequence at step C9 or D9, andsubsequently at step C10 or D10 object data is overwritten in the givenaddress.

[Data Reference Clock Genertion Method (vii)]

In the above-mentioned method, there is a basic premise that CAVrotation per se is independently kept in rotational accuracy.Alternatively a feedback loop may be provided between a CAV rotationsystem and a reference clock reference signal f_(R0) to secure a precisesynchronization between the rotation system and the data referenceclock. Namely, CAV rotation is PLL (phase lock loop) controlled so as tobe synchronized with a computational clock frequency (i.e., thereference signal f_(R0)) on a desired radius, despite generating areference clock frequency directly, or via a reference signal, from awobble retrieving signal and a clock mark at a desired radius or from asub-code of a recorded signal.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure in which overwritingis carried out as the pick-up reaches a given address (radius) andsynchronization between the rotation and the data reference clock. FIG.16 is a block diagram of a control system for controlling theoverwriting as depicted by FIG. 15. FIGS. 15 and 16 show an optical discrecording/retrieving apparatus, which accomplishesuniform-linear-density recording, irrespective of the radial position,though employing CAV method, and flow of operation of the apparatus.

FIG. 16, unlike the general concept diagram of FIG. 6, is a detaileddiagram showing a reference signal oscillator (VCO1) for generating datareference clock T (frequency f_(d0)) that varies in inverse proportionto the radius when a focused light beam (the pick-up) is radially movedto the recording block at a given address (target address), and also adata-sequence synchronization means for finely adjusting the rotationspeed of the disc, based on the result of phase comparison between thereference signal f_(R0) obtained by dividing the data reference clockT_(d0) at a given radius into 1/N (N is an integer) and the groovewobble frequency f_(A0) detected in the target address, in a way thatthe data reference clock frequency f_(d0) at the given radius and thegroove wobble frequency f_(A0) in the target address satisfies arelation f_(d0)=N·f_(A0), irrespective of the radial position, andsynchronizing the start position of a recording block and a datasequence to be written in the block.

In FIGS. 15 and 16, a rewritable compact disc (CD-RW) is used as anexample, and N=196.

In this method, first of all, supporting the movement of the pick-up toa given radial position, discriminating whether the pick-up has beenreached a target address and computing the data reference clock arecontrolled by a particular CPU1 in the drive. Now, assume that, for theinitial status, a focused light beam at a reference radius R_(in), e.g.the innermost track of the recording area, is subject to focusing andtracking. When employing the medium of the present invention, areference r.p.m. (disc rotation speed) value w₀ is set in a range offrom 1,900 to 2,200 in such a way that the linear velocity on theinnermost track of the recording area is roughly 4 times (4.8 m/s) of CDlinear velocity. Specifically, if the reference radius R_(in)=21 mm, w₀is set to roughly 2,180 r.p.m., and if R_(in)=24 mm, it is set toroughly 1,910 r.p.m.

FIG. 16 is similar in basic part to FIG. 6, but illustrating the detailsof a PULL (phase locked loop) system, which undertakes rotation control,as surrounded by dotted lines. In FIG. 16, the encoders ED1, ED2 of FIG.6 are depicted as a single encoder ED, and the laser driver LD1 of FIG.6 is omitted as treated as a component of the recording pulse generatorcircuit WP1. And the access servo control CPU1 is treated as a part toundertake one of various functions of a control CPU1.

The reference clock generator circuit CK1 of FIG. 6 is depicted in FIG.16 as being receptive of a signal from the control CPU1 and beingcomposed of a digital-to-analog converter and a voltage controloscillator VCO1. Here f_(d0) is the data reference clock frequencyinverse proportional to the radius, being based on the addressinformation; using, for example, the formulae (4) through (7), thedigital output computed by the control CPU1 is converted into a voltageV_(d0) proportional to f_(d0) by an analog-to-digital converter,whereupon a frequency proportional to V_(d0) is generated by VCO1. Thispartial procedure is only an illustrative example and, alternatively, itmay be substituted by another digital synthesizer as long as the datareference clock frequency proportional to the radius is generated. Asmentioned above, assuming that the velocity on the outermost track is10-times velocity of CD, that on the innermost track is roughly 4-timesvelocity, and f_(d0) varies from 17.287 MHz to 43.2118 MHz. Consequentlythe digital synthesizer is preferably able to sweep this frequency rangeby a resolution of roughly 0.1 MHz. Though the reference clock periodproportional to the radius varies stepwise in such resolution, it ispossible to keep errors in mark length at the individual radial positionwithin a tolerance (usually about ±1%).

f_(d0) is divided into 1/196 by a dividing period and is used as areference value f_(R0) of the carrier frequency of wobble at a givenradius.

In FIG. 16, BPF stands for a band-pass filter for extracting a carrierfrequency component f_(A0) from the wobble signal, and HPF, a high-passfilter for FM modulating the wobble signal.

A phase comparator PCO compares f_(A0) in phase with a reference signalf_(R0). The result of phase comparison of PCO is converted into a meanvoltage V_(n0) obtained by LPF; the large the phase difference, V_(m0)will increase as a feedback signal. V_(n0) is converted into a frequencyf_(PM), which controls the frequency of the spindle motor M1, by VCO2.The combination of PCO, LPF and VCO2 is a popular construction to beused in the usual PLL control. By this PLL control, the r.p.m. of thedisc is adjusted so as to synchronize f_(A0) with f_(R0), namely, so asto zero the phase difference in PCO.

Following the procedure of FIG. 15, first of all, at step G1 amove-toward-address command and a desired target address DA1 areinputted to the control CPU1 via an external interface. At step G2 thetracking servo is rendered to be inoperative for movement toward thetarget address. Simultaneously, at step Gal parallel to the flow ofoperation, from address AD1 (here ATIP address), CPU1 computes theradius of the target ATIP address and the track number by the formulae(4) through (6). Then the targetted data reference clock frequencyf_(DA) on the radius of the target address is computed by the formula(7), and the computed frequency is generated by VCO1. And this f_(DA) isdivided into 1/196 to generate the carrier frequency f_(RA) of wobble atthe target address. f_(DA) and f_(RA) are referred to as referencefrequencies.

More generally, the data reference clock frequency f_(d0) is computedfrom the following relation (100):f _(d0) =f _(ref)+(R−R _(ref))/ΔR  (100),which is to be kept satisfied by the calculated radius R and thereference clock T at the current ATIP address and in which f_(d0) variescommensurate with the radius R computed from a given address in whichdata is to be recorded, where T_(ref) (frequency f_(ref)) is the datareference clock on the reference radius R_(ref) at the leading end ortailing end of the recording area of the optical disc D1, ΔR is theradius width ranging from the innermost track to the outermost track ofthe recording area. A radial moving signal is also issued to the linearmotor (spindle motor) M1, using the calculated (R−R_(ref)).

At step G3, the pick-up PU1 is radially moved as driven by the linearmotor LM1 in accordance with a command from CPU1, and at step G4 thepick-up PU1 is moved toward a target address by a rough motion mechanismin accordance with the track count. At step G5, confirmation is madefrom the track count number that the pick-up PU1 has been approachedadequately near to the target address, whereupon the rough motionmechanism is braked and, at the same time, the tracking servo isrendered operative on a track near (usually immediately short of) thetarget address at step G6. Subsequently, with the tracking serve keptactive, scanning by the laser light beam at the retrieving level is madealong the guide groove.

Here the carrier frequency f_(A0) of wobble is extracted. Since thepick-up PU1 has come near to the target address, the extended f_(A0) andf_(R0) computed from the target address are within such a range as to bePLL locked by phase comparison.

Therefore, at step G7, f_(A0) and f_(RA) are compared in phase with eachother, and then a feedback is given to the spindle motor M1 in a waythat f_(A0) is in synchronism with f_(R0), securing synchronization ofCAV rotation.

Then at step G7, CAV rotation of the spindle motor M1 is locked by theestimation carrier frequency f_(RA) of wobble, whereupon with thetracking servo kept active, scanning by the optical beam is made alongthe track. At step G8, the push-pull signal P1 is retrieved by thepick-up PU1 so that the carrier frequency f_(A0) of wobble is extractedby BPF and decoding of ATIP information by ATIP decoder WDA1. At stepG9, based on the address information continuously updated time to timeas retrieved at real time, f_(d0) is computed to be updated occasionallytime to time at parallel step Ga2, and thus generating the referenceclock frequency f_(d0) by VCO1. Simultaneously with this, consultingwith the latest value of f_(R0) obtained by dividing f_(d0) into 1/196,f_(R0) and f_(A0) are compared in phase with each other by PCO, andcontrol for CAV rotation of the disc is made on the spindle motsor M1 soas to synchronize f_(R0) and f_(A0) with each other. Steps G8, G9 andGa2 constitute a PLL feedback loop, with f_(d0) being assumed as areference signal, to kept the spindle motor M1 substantially in CAVrotation.

At steps G8 through G10, under the foregoing feedback working, scanningby the recording/retrieving light beam is made and the r.p.m. of CAVrotation also is finely adjusted in accordance with thevarying-time-time ATIP address and f_(d0), thus bringing the puck-up PU1close to the target address. At step G10 if it is judged that thepick-up PU1 has reached the target address, the recording pulse sequenceis generated at step G11. Under a command of the control CPU1, binarydata is encoded-into the EFF-modulated signal, and the recording pulseis corrected according to the recording method of the present inventionin synchronism with f_(d0) generated by VCO1, so that gates of recordingpulse sequence of α₁T, β₁T, . . . , α_(m)T, β_(m)T are obtained, asshown in FIG. 5, to produce a laser diode driving current for thepick-up PU1 in the recording pulse sequence generator circuit WP1 basedon the gate signals. At step G11 the recording power Pw, the bias powerPb and the erasure power Pe from the pick-up PU1 are irradiated to thetrack of the target address to overwrite necessary EFM-modulated data.Here during generation of the recording pulse sequence at step G11, asynchronization signal in the ATIP information, simultaneously withf_(d0), is consulted with to achieve synchronization in position withthe ATIP frame.

Further, from input data encoded in CD format, the recording pulsesequence is generated in the recording pulse generator circuit WP1. InFIG. 16, also correction of the recording pulse sequence in accordancewith the linear velocity corresponding to the address is considered.

At a glance, the foregoing procedure is similar in operation flow withthe control system for recording with a commercially available CD-R/RWdrive as the wobble frequency and reference clock frequency are comparedwith each other to accomplish synchronization with CLV rotation. Forsynchronization with CLV rotation, the reference clock frequency f_(d0)constant irrespective of the radial position is employed as a referencesignal. With this f_(d0) as a reference signal, f_(R0) is generated tocause the rotation of the motor rather forcibly to vary by a greatextent to secure synchronization of rotation. At that time, if theextent of radial movement is large, the difference between f_(A0) andf_(R0) would be too large in the absence of preliminary rough adjustmentof r.p.m. per se to the value that is to be determined by computationfrom the radius, resulting in a deviation of the pick-up PU1 from thecapture range of PLL control.

On the other hand, since the apparatus of FIG. 16 is driven in CAV modeduring rough motion, M1 retains the initial r.p.m. of CAV rotationbefore the radial movement is started. And since both f_(R0) and f_(A0)vary in proportion to the radius even though they have encountered withlarge considerable fluctuation due to the radial movement, it would notdeviate off the capture range of PLL. Namely, as long as the pick-up PU1has moved adequately near to the track at the target address by theradial rough motion mechanism, it is possible to control the CAV controlby PLL control as the radial position is finely adjusted by reading theaddress as ATIP decoded. Strictly, after the pick-up PU1 has reachednear the target address to start ATIP decoding, the r.p.m. of CAVrotation is finely adjusted by PLL control, based on f_(d0) that variesin real time in accordance with the ATIP address. In FIG. 16, a portionsurrounded by an endless dotted line constitutes a PLL control circuit.

Here for every ATIP frame (unit of 1/75 sec at the 1-times velocity ofCD), which is a minimum unit of update of f_(d0), synchronization withf_(R0)=(1/196)f_(d0) is made to lock the disc rotation by PLL control.Accordingly, the CAV rotation control method of the present invention,in other words, serves also as ZCLV in which a virtual zone is providedfor each ATIP frame. But, since each ATIP frame, which is the length ofthe individual zone, is less than one disc circumference, it can betreated substantially as CAV rotation. With this CAV rotation control,it is possible to establish synchronization between the data referenceclock and the disc rotation for every radius with improved precision ascompared to make CAV rotation control on the spindle motor M1independently and mechanically, thus reducing fluctuation of mark lengthin each radial position to a minimum.

Though illustration is omitted in FIG. 16, as a precaution, in CAVrotation during rough motion of the pick-up PU1, the r.p.m. of thespindle motor M1 is monitored by a velocity sensor (usually a holesensor) and, more preferably, a rotation retain control mechanism whoserough precision is in a range of about ±1-10% is additionally employed.From 0 r.p.m. till the rising of rotation, namely, till the capturerange of PLL, it is necessary to directly control the r.p.m. and also toshift to PLL control, which consults with the reference clock signalf_(d0) generated in accordance with the address, after the count numberhas reached a predetermined value. This is particularly effective toprevent any possible deviation off the capture range of PLL even if CAVrotation could deviated by a large extent during rough motion. Further,because discrimination in multiplied frequency principally cannot bebetween recording at the 4-times velocity on the innermost track andthat at the 8-times velocity on a track slightly outside of theintermediate track, this relatively rough r.p.m. control by directmonitoring r.p.m. of the spindle motor M1 is also effective to prevent apossible stampede as synchronization could happen to be made with the8-times velocity by mistake instead with the intended 4-times velocity.

This CAV method is differentiated from the conventional CLV mode of PLLrotation control system in that CAV is finely adjusted by the referencefrequency f_(d0) and f_(R0) computed from the ATIP address. It ispreferable that this fine-adjusted width should be usually within atolerance of ±1% of the reference r.p.m. w₀ in order to hold PLL controland also substantiaaly uniform-linear-density recording for retrievingin CLV mode. Namely the radial rough motion mechanism is preferably ableto cause the pick-up PU1 to approach the target address as closely as tosatisfy this relation.

In the apparatus of FIG. 16, because the difference between thefrequency band on the innermost track and that on the outermost track isapproximately 2.5 times, it is essential to pay special attention insetting the frequency bands for the band-pass filter (BPF), thehigh-pass filter (HPF) and the low-pass filter (LPF). Particularly forthe LPF in the PLL control system, it is necessary to divide therecording area radially into several zones and to change the frequencybands one for each zone, depending on the situation.

In the present invention, according to the foregoing methods, it ispossible to generate the data reference clock varying in inverseproportion to the radius. But the data reference clock generation methodof the present invention should by no means be limited to theseillustrated examples.

The foregoing access method, the data reference clock generation methodand the rotation synchronization method for realizing theuniform-linear-density recording, which is read-compatible with CD, inCAV mode are applicable to a wide variety of CD-R/RW mediums,irrespective of the r.p.m., and are particularly effective to improvethe access performance when used in the medium and the recording methodof the present invention.

Regarding a commercially available single-size CD, it is 8 cm indiameter and the difference in linear velocity between the innermost andoutermost tracks in CAV method is 2 times at most; therefore, themedium, the recording method and the recording/retrieving apparatusaccording to the present invention can be applied withoutreconstruction. In such event, in order for increasing the data transferrate, the linear velocity on the outermost track is preferably 10 ormore times of the 1-times velocity.

7. Applied Examples Using Recording by CAV Method

An applied example will now be described in which the time to access toa given address in a different radial position is reduced by employingthe rewritable compact disc of the present invention recordable in CAVmethod and the recording method of the present invention for recordingon the rewritable compact disc in CAV method, utilizing their advantagesto a maximum.

Specifically, one of the applied examples is a text recorded in CD forrepeatedly practicing foreign language and music. In this application, aforeign language sentence or a warble of music is retrieved as ademonstration to urge the user to repeat it, whereupon the user soonrecords the repeated content in the user data area of the recording areaas new input information.

Consequently, it is very convenient if an application program ispreviously stored in the same CD-RW disc and could thereafter beretrieved to retrieve demonstration data to thereby execute thedemonstration, and if the repeated user data could be recorded in thesame CD-RW disc so that both recording and retrieving can be realizedwith one and the same recording/retrieving apparatus.

Practically a demonstration is divided in units of several seconds toseveral tens seconds so as to be repeated comfortably, and recording ofboth the demonstration and user data has to be repeated within a certainshort time range. Consequently, as it is able to reduce the access timeof an optical pick-up between the application program area and the userdata area to a minimum, the recording medium and the recording method ofthe present invention are particularly effective for recording by CAVrotation method. It has recently been a popular practice to carry outretrieving of CD by CAV method; if recording and retrieving take placein CAV mode all the way, it is possible to facilitate a change-overprocess from recording to retrieving and vice versa so as to completethe process in a reduced time.

According to the CD-RW medium of the present invention suitable for thisapplication, the application area includes an application program areaoccupying a continuous specified part of the application area andstoring a predetermined application program, and a user data area whichoccupies the remaining portion of the application area and in which theuser data relating to at least the application program is adapted to berecorded. Retrieving of the application program and recording of theuser data relating to the application program are made each at aconstant angular velocity.

The application program area may be formed by recording in part of theunrecorded rewritable CD-RW on the user's end or may be previouslyrecorded as ROM data, which is formed on the substrate in terms ofuneven pits (phase-depth modulated pits).

In either case, as the application program per se is treated practicallyas Read-Only (ROM) data, the subject CD-RW disc is regarded as havinglocally a ROM area and hence is also called the partial ROM (P-ROM).

In this P-ROM-type CD-RW disc, usually both an area storing anapplication program so as to indicate the data location along ATIPaddress (application program area) and a user data area respectivelyoccupy a train of successive addresses as a unitary area.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing data arrangement along ATIP addresses.

The diagram of FIG. 25 is a composite form including a perspective view(100) and a cross-sectional view (101) of a CD-RW disc. The CD-RW disc100 has a data structure composed of, sequentially from the innermosttrack, a PCA (power calibration area), a PMA (program memory area), alead-in area, a program area, and a lead-out area. Among these areas,the PCA is a trial writing area for determinding the optimum recordingpower; the PMA, a temporary file management information recording area,which information is peculiar to CD-R or CD-RW; the lead-in area, anarea in which file management information, which is called TOC (table ofcontents) to be naturally used in CD-ROM format, and disc managementinformation are described; the lead-out area, an area indicating thetail of EFM data. The program area is an area in which the user data isto be recorded; in the present invention, this program area includesboth an application program area and a rewritable user data area. Inorder for securing a retrieving read-compatibility with the conventionalCD-ROM, it is absolutely essential to record necessary information inthe lead-in and lead-out areas.

In the present invention, the information area (hatched area of the disc100 in perspective in FIG. 25), ranging from at least the leading end Bof the PCA area to the trailing end D of the lead-out area, is coveredwith a common phase-change medium.

In the program area, there are two areas for realizing the partial ROMfunction to store an application program. One is an area (master ROMarea) in which the recording layer is formed on the substrate and datais recorded using an uneven pit sequence (pit sequence previously formedon the substrate as by injection molding) previously formed in thesubstrate surface. The other is an area (post ROM area) in which therecording layer is previously formed on the CD-RW disc 100 throughoutthe entire surface as a rewritable area and the recording driveapparatus is prohibited from rewriting partially in part of the area inwhich part data has previously been recorded.

In at least the post ROM area and a RAM area, a spiral guide groove 105runs for guiding laser light as shown in (a) of FIG. 26. The guidegroove 105 is defined by opposite sidewalls 105 a, 105 b and has usuallya trapezoidal cross section 0.03-0.05 μm in depth and approximately 0.5μm in width. As the disc is rotated, laser light scans the recordingarea circumferentially of the disc along the mean center line of guidegroove 105. The guide groove 105 is provided with a wobble by the radialmeandering groove geometry, the wobble giving additional data such asATIP information and a synchronization signal. In FIG. 26, the amplitudeof the groove meandering is exaggeratedly depicted, but actually themeandering amplitude is approximately 0.03 μm as compared withapproximately 0.5 μm in groove width. On the other hand, in the presenceof the master ROM area with the master ROM data, the groove geometry ispreferably such that the center line 107 connecting a pit sequence 106,a train of pits, meanders with an amplitude as large as the amplitude ofmeandering of the guide groove 105, as shown in (b) of FIG. 26.

In any case, for giving address information along the guide groove, in awide sense, ranging from the leading end B of the PCA area to thetrailing end D of the lead-out area, it is preferable that addressinformation and synchronization signals should be given in terms ofabsolute time according to the wobble. The absolute time address isrepresented in units of minutes, seconds and frames, with 1/75 sec beingdefined as a minimum unit (frame). In FIG. 25, at the leading point A ofthe program area, ATIP leads from 0-minute-0-second-0 frame (hereinafterdescribed 00:00:00 frame) to at maximum 79:59:74 frame. In accordancewith data capacitance, the maximum ATIP address of the program area,namely, the start time (C point in FIG. 25) of the lead-out area isvariable. The program area shifts at C point to the lead-out area. TheATIP address of the lead-out area continuously increases, succeeding thetrailing-end ATIP address of the program area. Usually the length of thelead-out area is roughly 1-2 minutes. In the meantime, the PCA, PMA andlead-in areas are arranged between B point and A point in FIG. 25. TheATIP address is reset to 00:00:00 at A point, whereupon it decreasessequentially from 99:59:74 from A point to B point (leading-end addressof PCA). The ATIP addresses in the PCA, PMA and the lead-in areas arenot available for only 80s or 90s minutes.

FIG. 27 shows an illustrative data arrangement in the recording mediumof the present invention. In FIG. 27, A, B, C, D points are located atthe same ATIP addresses as A, B, C, D points of FIG. 25. And BA iscomposed of a PCA/PMA area 110 and a lead-in area 111, AC is a programarea 112, and CD is a lead-out area 120.

In FIG. 27, an application program area 120 is disposed on the innerperiphery of the recording area, namely, at the start of ATIP time, anda user data area 121 is disposed on the outer periphery of the recordingarea relatively at the end of ATIP time.

Also in FIG. 27, the application program area 120 and the user data area121 are arranged simply separately in the inner and outer peripheries,whichever area may be in the inner periphery. Further, as an example,the program area is divided into two sessions in accordance with thespecifications of a multi-session format. The two-session program areamay be a data structure such that one is a session where the applicationprogram is stored, and the other is a session where the user data can befreely written.

The application program area 120 is composed of an execution programarea 123 and a demo data area 124. The execution program area 123 storesexecution format programs, such as a main menu program for controllinginput/output enabling jobs in an interactive way with the user, a basicroutine program for allotting the jobs to sub-routines based on the mainmenu, and sub-routine programs, responsive to the user's selection fromthe menu, for dealing with execution of various jobs and demonstrations.The demo data area 124 stores a demonstration data collection to beconsulted with by the application program. In the following description,these two areas 123, 124 will be generically called the applicationprogram area. The demonstration data collection comprises, as anexample, a plurality of sub-demonstrations, i.e. demo 1, demo 2, . . . ,demo n so that the user can select any one or, alternatively, two ormore consecutive ones to retrieve.

In the user data area, the contents repeated by the user in response to,for example, demo 1, demo 2, . . . , demo n are stored as repeat data 1,repeat data 2, . . . , repeat data n, respectively.

For having frequent access between the application program area 120 andthe user data area 121, these two areas preferably have a common logicdata structure and are identical in file management method with eachother, thus making it unnecessary to change the decoding way whenretrieving data.

Particularly in dealing with voice data as described later, in order tocancel a possible difference between the actual data retrieving/transferrate on the disc and the voice retrieving rate in real time, and inorder to make retrieving of sliced application data and recording of theuser data one at a time, the data on the disc should preferably have aso-called fixed-length packet structure. Here the fixed-length packetrecording on CD-RW will be described. In CD-ROM format, as shown in FIG.28, data processing is carried out with 2,352-byte data containing 2,048bytes of the user data and additional data to the user data beingtreated as a unit block 130. To 1 block 130, there are added 4-byte data(132), called the header and in the form of an ECC code (131) for errorcollection, containing address information corresponding to ATIP, and an8-byte synchronization signal (133) needed for coding by ECC-containingdata.

Assuming that this 2,352-byte data is divided into a matrix of 24bytes×98, the data unit (135) of 24 bytes in a single line is called aframe, which is the basic unit when converting into EFM-modulated data,and cannot be controlled by the user. To the 24-byte data belonging tothe frame 135, there are also added a parity for error collection, andaddress information called a sub-code, which are to be recorded on thedisc after being EFM modulated.

The fixed-length packet recording of CD-RW was established by OSTA(Optical Storage Technology Association) of the United States asUniversal Disc Format (UDF), version 1.5 and Multiread Format with apremise to use the CD-ROM format. The user data of 32 blocks as a singleunit, and additional blocks, i.e. a run-in block 141, a run-out block142 and a link block 143, are called a packet. Namely, 1 packet containsa user data block group 140 in the form of a 64-byte user data.

This operation flow, for example, as shown in FIG. 30, is realized by asystem which comprises a CD-RW disc 153 of the present inventionpartially having the application program area and the user data area, aCD-RW drive 150 serving as an apparatus for making recording/retrievingon the disc being rotated in CAV mode, and a host computer 151operatively connected to the recording/retrieving apparatus. The CD-RWdrive 150 and the host computer 151 are interconnected by a datatransfer line 2000. For the data transfer method, usually ATAPI or SCSImethod is employed. In order to cancel a possible difference betweendata processing rate of the CD-RW drive 150 and that of the hostcomputer 151 during data transfer, and in order to make synchronizationof data transfer, the CD-RW drive 150 and the host computer 151 areequipped with data-transfer buffer memories 206, 207, respectively. Inthe buffer memories 206, 207, data processing is carried out in units ofpackets such as shown in FIG. 29. And inside the CD-RW drive 150,amplifying EFM-modulated signal, extracting the EFM-modulated signal bya band-pass filter, encoding, decoding, and generating the recordedpulse are performed by a data processing system 204. The rotation of thedisc is controlled by a rotation control system 203, and movement of anoptical pick-up 201, tracking servo and focusing servo are controlled bya pick-up servo system 202. The cooperation between these mechanicalcontrols and data processing is controlled by a system control CPU 205.CPU 205 is a generic name of the upper-rank system for unifying thesemechanical controls, data processing, and recording/retrieving ofelectrical signals; CPU 205 should by no means be realized by a singleIC.

The host computer 151 comprises, as the user interface, an AV(Audio-Visual) input device group 217, such as microphone and camera, anAV output device group 219, such as speaker and display, and an otherdevice group 220, such as keyboard and mouse. The input/output data withthe user can be processed as digital data via an analog-to-digitalconverter circuit 216 and a digital-to-analog converter circuit 218.Usually, voice and image data are not processed by only CPU 210 but byan voice/image processing circuit 215. In the voice/image processingcircuit 215 and a sound/video controller 214 as an upper-rank device toit, sampling, interpolating, compressing/decompressing of data takeplace. If object data contains both voice and image data, additionaldata processing has to be carried out to secure synchronization betweenvoice and image data. Although the voice and image data may be dealtseparately by different ICs, they will be treated here as if a singlekind of data. Likewise, data from the keyboard and mouse also isprocessed by a system representing an I/O control circuit 221.

For retrieving data of application, in the drive 150, the disc 153 isscanned by the light beam emitted from the optical pick-up 201 while thedisc 153 is rotated at a constant angular velocity, so that data on thedisc 153 are retrieved in units of fixed-length packets. The data inunits of packets is EFM demodulated and decoded into data in units ofblocks (unit of 2 k byte) in accordance with CD-ROM format by the dataprocessing system 204, whereupon the resulting data is transferred tothe buffer memory 206 and further to the host computer 151 via the datatransfer line 200 of the interface. Data transfer is controlled bycooperation of CPU 210 of the host computer and the system control CPU205 of the drive. The buffer memories 206, 207 are usually in the formof solid memory devices such as DRAMs and are respectively mounted inthe drive 150 and the data-processing host computer system 151, beingessential to accomplish synchronization of data transfer. But in aunitary system in which the drive and the host computer system,particularly CPUs 210, 205 are combined in function, it is unnecessaryto mount the two buffer memories 206, 207 separately, namely, only asingle buffer memory suffices. Since actual data retrieving on the disctakes place at high speed, retrieving is completed only in one ofseveral equal parts of voice data retrieving time. And by employingusual SCSI or ATAPI method as the interface, the transfer time betweenthe two buffer memories 206, 207 can be negligibly short.

Here in the rewritable compact disc 153 of CAV method according to thepresent invention, the velocity during recording/retrieving ranges, forexample, from the 4-times velocity on the innermost track of the programarea to the 10-times velocity on the outermost track. In the meantime,retrieving of voice data is usually carried out at the 1-times velocity;therefore it is necessary to pay special attention to this fact.Consequently, in order to cancel a possible difference in the retrievingvelocity, it is essential to change the retrieving velocity foradjustment. However, the data of demo 1 read in the above-mentionedreading process is all temporarily held in an job memory 211 and is thentransferred to the sound/video controller 214 irrespective of therotational speed of CD-RW and the data transfer rate of the datatransfer line 200. Then the data in the job memory 211 is synchronizedwith the usual sound sampling rate and is converted into analog data inthe digital-to-analog converter 218, whereupon the analog data isretrieved in the speaker 219. Here digital sound data in CD format anddigital data in CD-ROM format are different in logic structure;consequently sound data also should be preferably digitalized andrecorded in CD-ROM format so that demonstration data and the user'srepeat data as well can be recorded in units of fixed-length packetsbased on the same CD-ROM format. The sound data processing can besufficiently dealt with by the built-in function of an ordinary personalcomputer, which is not pertinent to the subject of the presentinvention, so its detailed description is omitted here.

FIG. 31 is a flowchart showing the generalized procedure ofrecording/retrieving by CAV method using the CAV recordable CD-RW.

When the CD-RW disc 153 is set in the CD-RW drive 150, then from step S1to step S3 are carried out in the CD-RW drive 150 under the control ofthe system control CPU 205.

First of all, at step S1, the CD-RW disc 153 of the present invention isset in the CD-RW drive 150. Here, usually under the control of thesystem control CPU 205, the disc starts rotating and focusing andtracking servo are established. The disc is kept rotating at apredetermined constant angular velocity.

The pick-up 201 firstly has access to the lead-in area 111 and PMA/PCAarea 110 at step S2 to read at least disc management information. Thedisc management information includes information relating to the optimumrecording power and linear velocity during recording and identifies thedisc type as CD-RW and more particularly as CAV recordable CD-RW disc.And in the PCA area, trial writing is made to determine the optimumrecording power.

Subsequently at step S3, file management information is obtained from anaddress-specifying address toward the leading end of the lead-in area111 and the program area 112, so file information of the program area112 is obtained.

If a self-executable application is in the application program area 120,the main routine data 125 of the application program of the disc 153 issoon read by the host computer 151 at step S4. Subsequent steps areexecuted as data are transferred via the drive 150 and the data transferline 200 by the CPU 210 of the host computer 151. In the absence of aself-executable program in the application program area 120, the userselects a CD-RW executable file in the application program area 120,whereupon step 4 is started.

Usually, at step S5, first of all, the menu screen as the user interfaceis started to display the menu on the display of the AV device group 219so that the user may select the job of subsequent execution programusing the keyboard or other input device 220.

Here at step S6, execution of a demonstration and the content of thedemonstration to be-executed are selected and then the starting theexecution of the demonstration is designated by the user. Thedemonstration selected at first is called demo 1.

At step S7, accessing is made to a specified address of the demo dataarea 124 of the disc 153, in which address detailed contents 126 of thedemonstration is described, to obtain data of demo 1. Usually, this datais temporatily stored in the RAM memory 212 in the host computer or inthe job memory 211 of a hard disc 213 so that the data is read from thejob memory 211. Then at step S8, the data is converted into sound andimage in any device of the AV device group 219 via the sound/videocontroller 214, the sound/image processing circuit 215 and thedigital-to-analog converter circuit 218 so that the object demonstrationis executed.

Here during execution of the application program, for example, if aforeign language learning application is supposed, pronunciationdemonstration of a specified sentence is retrieved to urge the user toenter information input following the demonstration, namely, to repeatthe demonstrated sentence loudly.

At step S9, when the procedure does not shift to thedata-input-from-user mode upon receipt of interrupt 1 from the user viathe keyboard 220, the demonstration is repeated by route R1.

Otherwise when the interrupt 1 to shift to data-input-from-user mode isexecuted, the pick-up 201 has access to the user data area 121 of thedisc 153 to assume a standby position at step S10. At that time, theCD-RW disc 153 is kept at a constant angular velocity during retrievingso that accessing by the pick-up 201 can be completed in a very shorttime.

At step S11 data input is made by the user; this corresponds torepeating the content of demo 1 by the user in the example of foreignlanguage learning. The voice data (repeat data 1) is temporarily storedin the job memory 211 in the host computer 151 via the microphone of theAV device group 217, the analog-to-digital converter 216, the voiceprocessing circuit 215 and the sound controller 214. The user data andthe data of demo 1 may be respectively allotted to right and leftchannels to synthesize as stereo sound, facilitating comparison betweenthe content of demo 1 and the user's repeated content.

At step S12, data is transferred from the job memory 211 to the CD-RWdrive 150 so that the user data is recorded in the user data area 121 ofthe disc 153. As demand arises, at step S13, the user's input data isretrieved instantly.

In the user's interrupt 2 of step S14, the route R2 to input the userdata again or the route R3 to return to repeating execution of demo 1can be selected; if such selection is not needed, in step S15, soselection is made whether the procedure should shift to the nextdemonstration (demo 2) or the demonstration should be terminated. If theprocedure shifts to the next demonstration, it returns to step S6 viathe route R4 for selection of demonstration.

To terminate the procedure, at step S16, file management information isupdated based on the user data newly recorded in the user data area 121to terminate the demonstration at step S17. Then the procedure returnsto the menu screen by the route R5.

Thus the pick-up 201 has access to between the application program area120 and the user data area 121 with the CAV rotation kept constant.Therefore retrieving the demonstration data and recording repeat data bythe user is switched over instantly so that the user can have foreignlanguage learning by smooth hearing and repeating pronunciation withoutwait long.

The demonstration should by no be limited to sound; alternatively, itmay be retrieving music warble after warble and repeating it by theuser, or retrieving demonstration animated picture and recording theanimated picture taken by a camera that follows the user's motion.

EMBODIMENT Basic Example

A 1.2 mm thick policarbonate resin substrate was injection-molded onwhich a spiral groove wobbling or meandering at a reference frequency22.05 kHz, in terms of the frequency at the 1-times velocity of 1.2 m/s,was formed at a track pitch of 1.6 μm.

The resultant groove was 0.52 μm in width and 37 nm in depth asrespectively measured an optical diffraction method in terms of aU-groove resemble using He-Ne laser light whose wavelength is 633 nm.

To the meandering groove geometry (wobble), address information in termsof ATIP was additionally imparted by frequency modulation of ±1 kHz.

Subsequently, on the substrate, a lower protective layer, a phase-changerecording layer, an upper protective layer, a reflective layer, and aUV-curable resin layer are deposited one over another in this order. Theindividual deposited layers, except the UV-curable resin layer, werelaid one after another on the substrate in this order by the sputteringmethod without de-vacuuming. The UV-curable resin layer (approximately 4μm) was coated by the spin coat method.

Immediately after deposition, the recording layer was amorphous;selecting an appropriate linear velocity within a range of from 3.0 to6.0 m/s, initialization power of 500-700 mW by laser light having awavelength of 810-830 nm and focused so as to be approximately 70-90 μmin long axis and approximately 1.3 μm in short axis the amorphousrecording layer irradiated the amorphous recording layer to crystallizeits entire surface, thus initializing the recording layer in unrecordedstate.

After the deposition rate of the individual layer was measured, it wascontrolled according to the sputter deposition time. For a compositionof the recording layer, the fluorescence intensity of each element byfluorescent X-ray was used as corrected in terms of an absolutecomposition separately obtained by chemical analysis (atomic absorptionspectroscopy).

The density of each of the recording layer film and the protective layerfilm was obtained in terms of variation in weight when it was depositedon the substrate roughly hundreds nm in thickness. The film thicknesswas corrected using a film thickness value obtained in terms of thefluorescent X-ray intensity measured by a stilus-step meter.

The sheet resistivity of the reflective layer was measured by afour-prove resistance meter (Loresta MP, tradename, product ofMitsubishi Yuka Co., Ltd., a Japanese corporation, now Dia InstrumentCo., Ltd., a Japanese corporation).

The resistance measurement was made in the reflective layer deposited onan insulator substrate of glass or polycarbonate resin, or in thereflective layer deposited as an uppermost layer of the above-mentionedquadri-layer structure (lower protective layer/recording layer/upperprotective layer/reflective layer). Since the upper protective layer isa dielectric thin film and an insulator, it is not influential onmeasurement of the sheet resistivity. The measurement was made bybringing probes in contact with a 120-mm-diameter disc substrate, whichcould be treated as a substantially infinitely large area, at a positionof radius 30-40 mm.

Based on the thus obtained resistance value R, a sheet resistivity ρ_(s)and a volume resistivity ρ_(v) were calculated from the followingformula:ρ_(s) =F·R  (8)ρ_(v)=ρ_(s) ·t  (9)where t is the film thickness, and F is the correction value to bedetermined by the shape of the thin film area to be measured, usually ina range of from 4.3 to 4.5; it was 4.4 here.

For evaluation of recording/retrieving, a DDU1000 tester (wavelength ofapproximately 780 nm) manufactured by PulseTek Corporation were used.The used tester was one selected from: a tester 1 (a circle ofapproximately 1.25 μm in spot shape, 1/e² in intensity) in the form of aDDU1000 tester with NA=0.55, and a tester 2 (a circle of approximately1.3 μm in spot shape, 1/e² in intensity) in the form of a DDU1000 testerwith NA=0.5.

With a reference linear velocity of 1.2 m/s of CD assumed as the 1-timesvelocity, overwriting characteristics was evaluated for every one offrom the 1-times to 12-times velocities.

The data reference clock period, which was 231 nsec at the 1-timeslinear velocity, was varied in inverse proportion to the individuallinear velocity.

Unless otherwise mentioned, each retrieving was made at the 2-timesvelocity. After an output signal from the DDU1000 tester was passedthrough a high-pass filter whose cut-off frequency was in a range of5-20 kHz, jitter was measured by a time interval analyzer (manufacturedby Yokogawa Electric Co., Ltd., a Japanese corporation).

Modulation m₁₁ (=I₁₁/I_(top)) was read by observing the eye pattern onan oscilloscope. Separately from this, R_(top) was obtained as correctedby a CD reference disc CD5B (put on the market from Philips, a Dutchcorporation).

After EFM random data was recorded, 3T mark jitter and 3T space jitterwere measured, and the higher jitter whichever was employed as the 3Tjitter.

Unless otherwise mentioned, the ratio (Pe/Pw) of the erasure power Pe tothe recording power Pw was constant, and Pw-was varied stepwise by 1 mWpitch from 9 mW to 20 mW or roughly 25 mW.

Also unless otherwise mentioned, the bias power Pb, like the retrievinglight power Pr, was constant at 0.8 mW.

In the measurement of 3T/11T overwriting erase ratio. After a repeatingpattern of a 3T mark and a 3T inter-mark space (a 3T pattern) wasrecorded one time, a repeating pattern of an 11T pattern and an 11Tinter-mark space (an 11T pattern) was overwritten, and then the amountof reduction (in units of dB) of carrier level of the 3T mark wasmeasured as an erase ratio (erasability). The measurement of carrierlevel was made by a spectrum analyzer (TR4171) manufactured byAdvantest, or 8567A manufactured by Hewlett-Packard Company, using theoutput retrieving signal of the tester 1 or tester 2 as an input signal.Overwriting was made at each and every linear velocity, but everyretrieving was made at one and the same CD linear velocity (1.2 m/s).The resolution band width of the spectrum analyzer was 30 kHz, the videoband width was 100 Hz, and the input impedance was 50 Ω.

Further, the evaluation of overwriting characteristics was made, unlessotherwise mentioned, after making overwriting 10 times (overwriting onthe same track 9 times after recording in the unrecorded-state recordingarea for the first time). For evaluation of the recorded signal afteracceleration test, the recorded signal overwritten 10 times prior to theacceleration test was only retrieved after the acceleration test,whereupon the evaluation was made.

Embodiment 1

In the foregoing basic example, the disc was manufactured in thefollowing manner, and recording on the disc was carried out:

On the substrate, a lower protective layer of (ZnS)₈₀(SiO₂)₂₀, arecording layer of In₈Ge₅Sb₆₆Te₂₁, an upper protective layer of(ZnS)₈₀(SiO₂)₂₀, a reflective layer of Al_(99.5)Ta_(0.5), and aUV-curable resin layer were deposited 97 nm, 19 nm, 40 nm, 250 nm andapproximately 4 μm, respectively in film thickness in this sequence.Thus a rewritable compact disc (CD-RW) was obtained. The volumeresistivity ρ_(v) and the sheet resistivity ρ_(s) of theAl_(99.5)Ta_(0.5) reflective layer were 100 nΩ·m and 0.4 Ω/□(quadrature), respectively. Initialization was made by scanning at alinear velocity of approximately 3-4 m/s with laser diode light ofapproximately 810 nm in wavelength whose spot shape was oval having along diameter of approximately 70 μm and a short diameter ofapproximately 1.3 μm. The irradiation power was 600-700 mW.

Using the tester 1 with NA=0.55, trial overwriting of an EFM-modulatedsignal was made on the obtained disc at each of 1-, 2-, 4-, 6-, 8- and10-times velocities, and the characteristics of the disc was evaluated.

With the ratio (Pe/Pw) of the erasure power Pe and the recording powerPw kept constant at 0.5, Pw was varied stepwise by 1 mW pitch from 9 mWto 20 mW, during which overwriting was evaluated for every recordingpower. Each estimation was made in terms of characteristic values aftermaking overwriting 10 times. The divided recording pulse method was asfollows:

-   -   when the time length of an individual recorded mark was nT (T is        the data reference clock period, and n is an integer within a        range of from 3 to 11),    -   recording light of erasure power Pe, which is able to        crystallize an amorphous-state portion, irradiated inter-mark        portions,    -   for the recorded marks, the time length (n−j)T was divided into        α₁T, β₁T, α₂T, β₂T, . . . , α_(m)T, β_(m)T (where m=n−1) in this        sequence so as to satisfy Σ_(i)(α_(i)+β_(i))=n−j (j is a real        number within a range of 0.0≦j≦2.0), and    -   the recording light of recording power Pw (Pw>Pe), which is able        to melt the recording layer within the time length α_(i)T        (1≦i≦m), irradiated the recording layer, and the recording light        of bias power Pb (0<Pb≦0.5Pe) within the time length β_(i)T        (1≦i≦m) the recording layer to overwrite; and    -   when a linear velocity of 1.2 m/s was the reference velocity        (1-times velocity),    -   (1) for the 4-times velocity, α₁=from 0.75 to 0.25, α_(i)β=from        0.25 to 0.75 (2≦i≦m), α_(i)+β_(i-1)=1 (2≦i≦m),    -   (2) for a velocity slower than the 4-times velocity, α₁=from        0.05 to 1.0, α_(i)=from 0.05 to 0.5 (2≦i≦m), α_(i)+β_(i-1)=1        (2≦i≦m), and    -   (3) for a velocity faster than the 4-times velocity, α₁=from 0.5        to 2, α_(i)=from 0.5 to 1 (2≦i≦m),        α_(i)+β_(i-1)=(2≦i≦m).

Specific figures for α₁, α_(i), β_(m) at each velocity are shown inTable-1.

For, the 4- through 10-times velocities in particular, recording wasmade strictly in accordance with the divided pulse method using α_(i),β_(i) (FIG. 4) normalized by the current CD-RW specifications (OrangeBook Part 3, Version 20).

The result of evaluation of the overwriting characteristics is shown inFIG. 10. (a) depicts a 3T mark jitter; (b), a 3T space jitter; (c),modulation m₁₁; (d), R_(top); (e), a 3T mark length; and (f), dependenceof the 3T space length on Pw.

As is apparent from Table-1, the optimum recording power was around therange of from 15 to 16 mW, and the overwriting characteristics wasevaluated in terms of this power value.

As is indicated by (c) and (d) of FIG. 10, for every linear velocity,the modulation m₁₁ was in the range of from 60 to 80% (0.6-0.8), andR_(top) was in the range of from 15 to 25%.

The horizontal line in each of (e) and (f) of FIG. 10 indicates that a3T mark length during retrieving at the 2-times velocity was231×3×1/2=346.5 (nsec). Since the tolerance of each of the mark lengthand the space length is usually roughly ±10%, such length within therange of ±30-40 nsec suffices; however, FIG. 10 indicates that most oferrors of mark length and space length were within the allowance.Likewise, when Pw=from 15 to 16 mW, desired values were obtained withinthe range of roughly ±10% for 4T to 11T mark lengths and space lengths.

The horizontal line in each of (a) and (b) of FIG. 10 indicates that themaximum value of 3T jitter specifications was equal to 35×1/2=17.5(nsec) during retrieving at the 2-times velocity. A good jitter value of17.5 nsec or less was obtained for every linear velocities.

Thus good recording characteristics were obtained for every linearvelocity, and good recording characteristics also for 4- to 10-timesvelocities were obtained by the divided recording pulse method accordingto CD-RW specifications.

FIG. 11 shows the result of evaluation of overwriting durability at the2- to 10-times velocities. (a) depicts dependence of a 3T mark jitter onthe number of repetition of overwriting when Pw/Pe=15 mW/7.5 mW, and (b)depicts dependence of a 3T space jitter on the number of repetition ofoverwriting when Pw/Pe=15 mW/7.5 mW.

For every linear velocity, overwriting durability of 1,000 timesrequired to CD-RW was satisfied.

Further, Table-1 integratedly shows divided recording pulse method forevery linear velocity, recording power, erasure power, and 3T/11Toverwriting erase ratio. The term “3T/211T overwriting erase ratio”means an erase ratio of a 3T signal when a single-period signal of an11T mark and an 11T space was overwritten after a single-period signalof a 3T mark and a 3T space had been recorded. The linear velocity wasexpressed in terms of how many times faster it was than the 1-timesvelocity of 1.2 m/s. TABLE 1 3T/11T overwriting α_(I) Pw/Pe erase ratioVelocity α₁ (2 ≦ i ≦ m) β_(m) (mW) (dB)  1-times 0.5 0.15 0.55 15/7.5 30dB or more  2-times 0.5 0.25 1.0 15/7.5 30 dB or more  4-times 1.0 0.50.5 15/7.5 30 dB or more  6-times 1.0 0.5 0.5 16/8   29 dB  8-times 1.00.5 0.5 16/8   28 dB 10-times 1.0 0.5 0.5 16/8   27 dB

As shown in Table-1, the 3T/11T overwriting erase ratio of 29-30 dB wasobtained for each of the 1-times through 6-times velocities, and anadequate erase ratio of 28 dB was obtained when Pw=16 mW and Pe=8 mWeven for a high linear velocity, the 8-times velocity. And a high eraseratio of 27 dB was obtained also for the 10-times velocity.

While the disc was rotated in CAV mode at the 4-times velocity on theinnermost track (22 mm in radius) of the recording area and at the10-times velocity on the outermost track of the recording area (58 mm inradius), a data reference clock corresponding to every radial positionwas recorded on the disc throughout the entire recording area as theradial position was displayed stepwise by a pitch of approximately 5 mm.With the lapse of 500 hours after this disc was placed under anacceleration test environment of 80° C./85% RH (relative humidity), therecorded signal was found scarcely deteriorated. The jitter was 17.5 nsor less during retreiving at the 2-times velocity, and the modulationm₁₁ was found scarcely lowered retaining 90% or higher of the initialvalue.

Embodiment 2

In the above-mentioned basic example, recording was carried out on adisc manufactured in the following manner:

The disc was manufactured in the same manner as Embodiment 1 except thatthe recording layer comprised a composition of In₈Ge₅(Sb_(x)Te_(1-x))₈₇where x was 74.4, 75.4 and 76.3. Thus three kinds of layers different incomposition were obtained.

The overwriting characteristics was evaluated using the tester 1 withNA=0.55.

At each of the 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-times velocities, the jitter between 3Tmarks was measured as Pw was varied in the range of 9-20 mW stepwise bya pitch of 1 mW.

The divided recording pulse method was the same as Embodiment 1, inwhich method

-   -   m=n−1,    -   α₁=1, α_(i)=0.5 (2≦i≦m),    -   β_(m)=0.5, α_(i)+β_(i-1)=1.0 (2≦i≦m).

Namely this divided pulse method was that of FIG. 4 in accordance withCD-RW specifications.

For any of the described figures of x, the 3T/11T overwriting eraseratio at the 8-times velocity was 30 dB or more when Pw=from 15 to 18mW.

FIG. 12 shows the result of evaluation of overwriting characteristics.(a) depicts dependence of a jitter value on the linear velocity and therecording power when x=76.3, (b) depicts such dependence but whenx=75.4, and (c) depicts such dependence but when x=74.4, read at 2-timesvelocity.

Jitter values were actually measured at the grid points of FIG. 12, andthe individual jitter values at the respective measured points weredepicted in a contour map (using EXCEL 97, software of Microsoft). Theindividual contour lines were found locally slightly sunken anddistorted due to the data interpolation function of the used software,but these local dents and distortions can be negligible in grasping thewhole image.

It turns out from comparison between (a) through (c) of FIG. 12 that thelarger the figure of x, the nearer the low-jitter areas existed towardthe high linear velocity. In any of (a) through (c), the areas where thejitter is 17 nsec (34 nsec in terms of the jitter at the 1-timesvelocity) or less can cover the 4- through 8-times velocities (4.8-9.6m/s). The deviation also is within the range of the specifications.

When recording was made on the disc of (c) of FIG. 12 by each ofcommercially available 4-times-velocity drives (CRW4416 manufactured byYamaha, CRX120 manufactured by Sony, and 7040AD manufactured by Ricoh,all Japanese corporations), a good result was found in each test. Andalso the block error rate of the recorded signal was within the range ofonly a single FIGURE, so a read-compatibility at at least the 4-timesvelocity could be proved.

With the lapse of 500 hours after this disc was placed under anacceleration test environment of 80° C./85% RH (relative humidity), therecorded signal was found scarcely deteriorated. The modulation m₁₁ wasfound scarcely lowered retaining 90% or higher of the initial value.

Embodiment 3

In the above-mentioned basic example, recording was carried out on adisc manufactured in the following manner:

The disc was manufactured in the same manner as Embodiment 1 except thatthe recording layer comprised a composition of Ge₅Sb₇₃Te₂₂ (Sb/Te≈3.32).

The 3T/11T overwriting erase ratio at the 8-times velocity was 31 dBwhen Pw/Pe=17 mW/8.5 mW.

The overwriting characteristics was evaluated in the same manner as inEmbodiment 2. FIG. 13 shows a contour map of jitter similar to FIG. 12.The low-jitter areas existed toward the high linear velocity becauseSb/Te ratio was higher than Embodiments 1 and 2, but good overwritingcharacteristics could be realized by the divided pulse method inaccording to CD-RW specifications at the 4-through 8-times velocities.

Comparative Example 1

The disc was manufactured in the same manner as Embodiment 1 except thatthe recording layer comprised a composition of Ge₅Sb₆₈Te₂₇(Sb/Te≈2.52<2.57).

The overwriting characteristics was evaluated by the tester 1 in thesame manner as in Embodiment 1; as a result, the erase ratio was ratherinadequate even at the 4-times velocity, and overwriting was impossibleat all at the 8-times velocity.

The 3T/11T overwriting erase ratio at the 8-times velocity was less than20 dB.

Even though the divided pulse method was modified, the retrieving jitterat the 1-times velocity did not become 35 nsec or less.

Comparative Example 2

The disc was manufactured in the same manner as Embodiment 1 except thatthe recording layer comprised a composition of Ge₅Sb₇₇Te₁₈(Sb/Te≈4.28>4.0).

The overwriting characteristics was evaluated by the tester 1 in thesame manner as in Embodiment 1; as a result, the 3T/11T overwritingerase ratio at the 8-times velocity was 32 dB when Pw/Pe=17 mW/8.5 mW.However, due to high noise related to crystalline grains, jitter exceed17.5 nsec at 2-times velocity retrieving.

But when the jitter was evaluated by the divided pulse method inaccordance with CD-RW at the 4-times velocity, the retrieving jitter atthe 2-times velocity did not become 17.5 nsec or less (retrieving jitterat the 1-times velocity: 35 nsec or less) as recrystallization ofamorphous marks was remarkable.

Comparative Example 3

The disc was manufactured in the same manner as Embodiment 1 except thatthe recording layer comprised a composition of Ge₁₂Sb₆₇Te₂₁ (Sb/Te≈3.2).

The overwriting characteristics was evaluated in the same manner as inEmbodiment 2; as a result, the 3T/11T overwriting erase ratio at the8-times velocity was 30 dB when Pw/Pe=17 mW/8.5 mW.

But when the jitter was evaluated by the divided pulse method inaccordance with CD-RW at the 4-times velocity, the retrieving jitter atthe 2-times velocity did not become 17.5 nsec or less (retrieving jitterat the 1-times velocity: 35 nsec or less) as recrystallization ofamorphous marks was remarkable.

Embodiments 4-5 Comparative ExampleS 4-5

The disc was manufactured in the same manner as Embodiment 1 except thatthe recording layer comprised an InGeSbTe alloy or an InAgSbTe alloy,which is conventional, as a recording layer for CD-RW.

The compositions of various concrete recording layers are shown inTable-1: TABLE 2 Comparative Comparative Embodiment 4 Embodiment 5Example 4 Example 5 In₈Ge₅Sb₆₅Te₂₂ In₈Ag₅Sb₆₅Te₂₂ In₈Ge₅Sb₆₂Te₂₆In₈Ag₅Sb₆₂Te₂₅ (Sb/Te = 2.95) (Sb/Te = 2.95) (Sb/Te = 2.48) (Sb/Te =2.48)

The recording layers of Comparative Examples 4 and 5 are recordinglayers that satisfy the current CD-RW specifications and has aread-compatibility with the 1- through 4-times velocities in accordancewith CD-RW specifications (specified by Orange Book Part 3, Version2.0). For 2- through 4-times velocities, the same divided pulse methodas Embodiment 2 was employed.

In either of an InGeSbTe alloy and an InAgSbTe alloy, its dependence onthe linear velocity is univocally determined by the Sb/Te ratio. Therecording layers of Embodiments 4 and 5 were obtained by relativelyincreasing an amount of Sb in the recording layers of ComparativeExamples 4 and 5 to satisfy Sb/Te=2.95.

On the media of Embodiments 4 and 5, good overwriting characteristicswas possible at the 4-times through 8-times velocities in the samedivided pulse method as in Embodiment 2.

With the medium of each of Embodiments 5 and 6, the 3T/11T overwritingerase ratio at the 8-times velocity was 28 dB; with either medium,Pw/Pe=0.5.

Table-3 and Table-4 integratedly show the various characteristics beforeand after the lapse of 500 hours since these discs were placed under anacceleration test environment of 80° C./85% RH (relative humidity).

Specifically, Table-3 reevaluates the characteristics of the recordedsignal after the lapse of 100 hours after the medium was place in anacceleration test environment on which recording had previously beenmade at the 4-times velocity, and Table-4 reevaluates suchcharacteristics after the lapse of 100 hours after the medium was placein an acceleration test environment on which recording had previouslybeen made at the 8-times velocity. (Either recording had been made byoverwriting 10 times.) TABLE 3 Recording at 4-times velocityAcceleration Recording Time 3T jitter Power (hours) (nsec) R_(top) (%)m₁₁ (mW) Embodiment 4 0 10.8 16.4 0.63 13 100 11 15.1 0.65 Embodiment 50 11.8 16.6 0.65 13 100 >17.5 15.3 0.41 Comparative 0 11.7 16.2 0.73 12Example 4 100 11.6 15.0 0.74 Comparative 0 12 17.3 0.73 12 Example 5 10012.3 16.2 0.73

TABLE 4 Recording at 8-times velocity Acceleration Recording Time 3Tjitter Power (hours) (nsec) R_(top) (%) m₁₁ (mW) Embodiment 4 0 15.416.2 0.67 14 100 15.4 15.1 0.66 Embodiment 5 0 13.9 16.8 0.69 14 10021.2 15.1 0.64 Comparative 0 — — — Unable to Example 4 overwrite 100 — —— Comparative 0 — — — Unable to Example 5 overwrite 100 — — —

As is understood from Table-3 and Table-4, the disc according toEmbodiment 4 is excellent not only in initial characteristics but inarchival stability even if the Sb/Te ratio is increased in order to makethe existing medium (Comparative Examples 4 and 5) read-compatible withthe 1- through 4-times velocities to cope with higher linear velocities.

On the other hand, in the disc according to Embodiment 5 in which theSb/Te ratio was likewise increased, reduction of modulation and increaseof jitter were remarkable after the 100-hour acceleration test at eitherof the 4- and 8-times velocities. And the signal amplitude was reducedas amorphous marks disappeared; accordingly the disc of Embodiment 4 issuperior in archival stability of amorphous marks as compared to that ofEmbodiment 5.

With continued making the acceleration test of the medium of Embodiment4 to 500 more hours, the initial recorded signal was found scarcelydeteriorated, and the modulation m₁₁ remained 90% or more of the initialvalue.

It turns out from these facts that merely increasing the Sb/Te ratio ofthe medium read-compatible with the 1-through 4-times velocities do notsuffice to achieve a medium read-compatible with high linear velocities.Consequently the present inventors applied these recording layermaterials to CD-RWs read-compatible with the 8-times velocity and thenmade comparison and studies, and as a result, discovered that therecording layers in a GeSbTe alloy according to their concept have aunique effect.

Embodiment 6

In the foregoing basic example, the disc was manufactured in thefollowing manner and recording on the disc was carried out:

The disc was manufactured in the same manner as in Embodiment 1 exceptthat on the substrate, a lower protective layer of (ZnS)₈₀(SiO₂)₂₀, arecording layer of In₈Ge₅Sb₆₆Te₂₁, and an upper protective layer of(ZnS)₈₀ (SiO₂)₂₀, were deposited 105 nm, 19 nm and 45 nm, respectivelyin film thickness in this sequence, and thereover, a reflective layerwere deposited in a double-layer structure of an Al_(99.5)Ta_(0.5) layer(10 nm) and an Ag layer (200 nm) in this sequence.

During that time, after the AlTa reflective layer had been deposited,the resulting semi-manufacture was placed open to atmosphere for severalhours until its surface became naturally oxidized to form an interfacialoxidation layer, whereupon the Ag layer was sputtered thereover. Thisinterfacial oxidation layer serves to prevent mutual diffusion betweenAl and Ag. Finally, on the double-layer reflective layer, a UV-curableresin layer was deposited approximately 4 μm in film thickness. Thesheet resistivity ρ_(s) of the whole double-layer structure was 0.23 Ω/□(quadrature).

FIG. 14 shows the result of evaluation conducted in the same manner asin Embodiment 2 using the tester 1. Good overwriting characteristicssimilar to that of Embodiment 2 was obtained.

At the 8-times velocity, the 3T/11T overwriting erase ratio was 31 dBwhen Pw/Pe=16 mW/8 mW. And R_(top)=17% and m₁₁=0.71. At the 4-timesvelocity, R_(top)=17% and m₁₁=0.65 when Pw/Pe=15 mW/7.5 mW.

Embodiment 7

In the foregoing basic example, the disc was manufactured in thefollowing manner, and recording on the disc was carried out:

On the substrate, a lower protective layer of (ZnS)₈₀(SiO₂)₂₀, arecording layer of In₈Ge₅Sb₆₇Te₂₃, an upper protective layer of(ZnS)₈₀(SiO₂)₂₀, a reflective layer of Al_(99.5)Ta_(0.5), and aUV-curable resin layer were deposited 100 nm, 21 nm, 40 nm, 50 nm andapproximately 4 μm, respectively in film thickness in this sequence.Thus a rewritable compact disc (CD-RW) was obtained. The volumeresistivity ρ_(v) and the sheet resistivity ρ_(s) of theAl_(99.5)Ta_(0.5) reflective layer were 100 nΩ·m and 0.4 Ω/□(quadrature), respectively.

An EFM-modulated signal was overwritten on the obtained disc at each of1-, 2-, 4-, 6-, 8- and 10-times velocities, using the tester 1 withNA=0.55. The recording pulse strategy was such that, likewise Embodiment2, m=n−1, T was varied in proportion to the linear velocity to keep therecording density constant, α₁T and α_(i)T (2<μm) and α_(i)+β_(i-1)(2≦i≦m) were kept constant irrespective of the linear velocity, and onlyβ_(m)T was varied according to the linear velocity. Namely, α₁T=23.1 ns,α_(i)T=13.9 ns (2≦i≦m). The overwriting characteristics was evaluated bymeasuring the 3T jitter, the mark length and the modulation after makingoverwriting 10 times. The recording pulse strategies for the individuallinear velocities were integratedly shown in Table-5. The linearvelocity was expressed in terms of how many times faster it was than the1-times velocity of 1.2 m/s. When the 1-times velocity was 1.2 m/s,T=231 nsec. TABLE 5 3T/11T overwriting α_(I) erase ratio Pw/Pe 3T jitterVelocity α₁ (2 ≦ i ≦ m) β_(m) (dB) (mW) (nsec)  1-times 0.1 0.06 1.0 30dB or more 15/7.5 24.5  2-times 0.2 0.12 0.9 30 dB or more 15/7.5 20.9 4-times 1.4 0.24 0.7 30 dB or more 15/7.5 22.8  6-times 1.6 0.36 0.5529 dB 15/7.5 23.0  8-times 1.8 0.48 0.4 28 dB 15/7.5 22.7 10-times 1.00.6 0.3 27 dB 15/7.5 24.0

For every linear velocity, in the above-mentioned Pw, the refectivityR_(top) of 17%, the modulation m₁₁ of 65-70%, and the asymmetry withinthe range of ±10% were obtained.

For the 10-times velocity, when α_(i) (i=from 2 to m) was 0.5, the 3Tjitter was 25 nsec; thus the overwriting characteristics substantiallysimilar to that when α_(i) (i=from 2 to m) was 0.6.

It is understood from Table-5 that, by employing such a divided pulsemethod that the recording pulse width per se is fixed, the clock periodis varied according to the linear velocity, and the tail end off-pulsesection β_(m) becomes larger for the slower linear velocity, it ispossible to cope with a wide range of linear velocities using therelatively simple recording pulse generator circuit.

Embodiment 8

In the foregoing basic example, the disc was manufactured in thefollowing manner., and recording on the disc was carried out:

On the substrate, a lower protective layer of (ZnS)₈₀(SiO₂)₂₀, arecording layer of In₈Ge₅Sb₆₆Te₂₁, an upper protective layer of(ZnS)₈₅(SiO₂)₁₅, a reflective layer of Al_(99.5)Ta_(0.5), and aUV-curable resin layer were deposited 97 nm, 19 nm, 40 nm, 250 nm andapproximately 4 μm, respectively in film thickness in this sequence. Thevolume resistivity ρ_(v) and the sheet resistivity ρ_(s) of theAl_(99.5)Ta_(0.5) reflective layer were 100 nΩ·m and 0.4 Ω/□(quadrature), respectively.

The overwriting characteristics was evaluated using the tester 1 withNA=0.55 and the tester 2 with NA=0.5. For the 2-, 4-, 6-, 8- and10-times velocities, the jitter between 3T marks was intermittentlymeasured while Pw was varied from 9 to 20 mW stepwise by a pitch of 1 mWwith Pe/Pw kept constant at 0.5. For any of these linear velocities, the3T/11T overwriting erase ratio was 25 dB or more when Pw=from 15 to 20mW. While the pulse strategy was fixed to the strategy of FIG. 4 andonly the data reference clock period was varied in inverse proportion tothe linear velocity, the 3T jitter was measured. The result ofmeasurement is shown in FIG. 17 in the same contour map as that of FIG.13. (a) of FIG. 17 shows the contour map when NA=0.5, and (b), thecontour map when NA=0.55.

In either case, the areas less than 17.5 ns in jitter were obtained inthe range from 4- to 10-times velocities. The larger NA, the wider theread-compatible linear velocity range was obtained.

Embodiment 9

In the foregoing basic example, the disc was manufactured in thefollowing manner, and recording on the disc was carried out:

On the substrate, a lower protective layer of (ZnS)₈₀(SiO)₂₀, arecording layer of, Ga₅Ge₅Sb₆₈Te₂₂, an upper protective layer of(ZnS)₈₀(SiO)₂₀, a reflective layer of Al_(99.5)Ta_(0.5), and aUV-curable resin layer were deposited 100 nm, 20 nm, 40 nm, 250 nm andapproximately 4 μm, respectively in film thickness in this sequence.Thus a rewritable compact disc (CD-RW) was obtained. The volumeresistivity ρ_(v) and the sheet resistivity ρ_(s) of theAl_(99.5)Ta_(0.5) reflective layer were 100 nΩ·m and 0.4 Ω/□(quadrature), respectively.

Using the tester 1 with NA=0.55, the overwriting erase ratio wasmeasured; as a result, the 3T/11T overwriting erase ratio was 25 dB ormore for the 8- and 10-times velocities.

The dependence of jitter on the linear velocity and recording power wasmeasured in the same manner as in Embodiment 9; the result ofmeasurement is shown in FIG. 18. The used recording pulse strategy wassuch that m=n−1, α₁=1, α_(i)=0.5, β_(m)=0.5, α_(i)+βi-1=1 (constant withrespect to i (2≦i≦m)), and Pe/Pw was constant at 0.5.

For the 4-times linear velocity (4.8 m/s) through 10-times linearvelocity (12 m/s), a good jitter was obtained. For the recording powersuch that the jitter was minimal, the modulation was in a range of from0.6 to 0.8, R_(top) was approximately 17%, and the asymmetry was withina range of ±10%.

The medium on which recording had been made was placed in anacceleration test environment of 80° C./85% for 500 hours, whereuponretrieving was made; as a result, substantially no variation was foundin the modulation of the recorded signal, R_(top), jitter and asymmetry.The modulation in particular remained 90% or more of the value beforethe acceleration test.

Embodiment 10

In the foregoing basic example, the disc was manufactured in thefollowing manner, and recording on the disc was carried out:

On the substrate same as above, a lower protective layer of(ZnS)₈₀(SiO₂)₂₀, a recording layer of In₃Ge₅Sb₇₁Te₂₁, an upperprotective layer of (ZnS)₈₀(SiO₂)₂₀, a reflective layer of an Al alloy(containing Mg of 1.01 atomic %, Si of 0.85 atomic %, Mn of 0.33 atomic%, Ti of 0.002 atomic %, and unavoidable impurities of at most 0.01atomic %, or Ag of 0.91 weight %, Si of 0.88 weight %, Mn of 0.67 weight%, and Ti of 0.014 weight %), and a UV-curable resin layer weredeposited 95 nm, 16 nm, 38 nm, 250 nm and approximately 4 μm,respectively in film thickness in this sequence. Thus a rewritablecompact disc (CD-RW) was obtained. The volume resistivity ρ_(v) and thesheet resistivity ρ_(s) of the Al-alloy reflective layer were 90 nΩ·mand 0.36 Ω/□ (quadrature), respectively.

Using the tester 1 with NA=0.55, the overwriting erase ratio wasmeasured; as a result, the 3T/11T overwriting erase ratio was 25 dB ormore for the 8-, 10- and 12-times velocities.

The dependence of jitter on the linear velocity and recording power wasmeasured in the same manner as in Embodiment 8; the result ofmeasurement is shown in FIG. 18. The used recording pulse strategy wassuch that m=n−1, α₁=1, α_(i)=0.5, β_(m)=0.5, α_(i)+β_(i-1)=1 (constantwith respect to i (2≦i≦m)), and Pe/Pw was constant at 0.5.

For the 6-times linear velocity (4.8 m/s) through 12-times linearvelocity (14.4 m/s), a good jitter was obtained. For the recording powersuch that the jitter was minimal, the modulation was in a range of from0.6 to 0.8, R_(top) was approximately 17%, and the asymmetry was withina range of ±10%.

Embodiment 11

In the foregoing basic example, the disc was manufactured in thefollowing manner, and recording on the disc was carried out:

On the substrate same as above, a lower protective layer of(ZnS)₈₀(SiO₂)₂₀, a recording layer of In₃Ge₅Sb₇₂Te₂₀, an upperprotective layer of (ZnS)₈₀(SiO₂)₂₀, a reflective layer of anAl_(99.5)Ta_(0.5), and a UV-curable resin layer were deposited 97 nm, 15nm, 38 nm, 250 nm and approximately 4 μm, respectively in film thicknessin this sequence. Thus a rewritable compact disc (CD-RW) was obtained.The volume resistivity ρ_(v) and the sheet resistivity ρ_(s) of theAl_(99.5)Ta_(0.5) reflective layer were 100 nΩ·m and 0.4 Ω/□(quadrature), respectively.

Laser light, having a wavelength of approximately 830 nm and focused soas to be approximately 100 μm in long axis (radial direction) andapproximately 1.3 μm in short axis (circumferential direction) theamorphous recording layer, irradiated the recording layer to crystallizeits entire surface, thus initializing the recording layer in unrecordedstate. With the disc being rotated so as to be scanned by the focusedlight beam at 2.5 m/s, the focused light beam was moved radially byapproximately 50 mm for every rotation of the disc, and 700-900 mWpowder continuously irradiated the recording layer. This is, irradiationwas made twice on the same area. By this initializing crystallization,the reflectivity of the recording layer in unrecorded state becamealmost the same as that of the recording layer in erased state duringrecording by overwriting described later.

The following evaluation of this embodiment was made using the tester 2having an optical system with NA=0.5.

The data reference clock period, which was 231 nsec at the 1-timesvelocity, was varied in inverse proportion to the individual linearvelocity.

First of all, a 3T pattern was recorded on the unrecorded area byoverwriting 9 times, and then an 11T pattern was overwritten, whereuponthe 3T/11T overwriting erase ratio was measured. The dependence of theoverwriting erase ratio was evaluated when Pw was varied with Pe/Pw keptconstant at 0.5; the result of this evaluation is shown in FIG. 20.Retrieving was made at the 1-times velocity. As shown in FIG. 20, sincethe overwriting erase ratio of 25 dB or more was retained for up to the12-times velocity in particular, the disc can be used for up to 12-timesvelocity. For up to the 10-times velocity, especially for the 10-timesvelocity, the erasure power range was widen.

Noting from FIG. 20 that when Pw is 14-18 mW, Pe/Pw=0.5, the overwritingerase ratio of 25 db of move can be obtained, the present inventorsconsidered the following recording pulse strategy then with Pw=15 mW andPe/Pw=0.5.

The present inventors discovered the optimum divided recording pulsemethod, for every linear velocity, such that: m=n−1, α_(i)=1, andα_(i)+β_(i-1)=1 (2≦i≦m), all were fixed; α_(i) (2≦i≦m, kept constant)and bm were variable; the worse value (3T jitter) of the 3T mark and theinter-mark (space) jitter were substantially minimal; the modulation was0.6 or more; and the asymmetry was within ±10%.

FIG. 21 shows a contour map (equi-level lines) of dependence of 3Tjitter on α_(i) and β_(m) at the 4- and 10-times velocities. Jittervalues were actually measured at the grid points and were automaticallyinterpolated using EXCEL 97, software of Microsoft. This measurement wasmade after an EFM random pattern had been overwritten 10 times, withtaking the erasing performance into consideration. Retrieving was madeat the 1-times velocity.

For the 10-times velocity, the minimum value of jitter was obtained whenα_(i)=around 0.5 and β_(m)=from 0.3 to 0.6. And for the 4-timesvelocity, the minimum value of jitter was obtained when α_(i)=from 0.3to 0.35 and β_(m)=from 0.5 to 0.6.

Then with Pe/Pw and Pw being varied instead of Pe/Pw=0.5, variation of3T jitter was observed in the following conditions: for the 4-timesvelocity, α_(i)=1, α_(i)=0.3, β_(m)=0.5, and for the 10-times velocity,α_(i)=1, α_(i)=0.5, β_(m)=0.3, all constant. The result is shown in FIG.22.

It turns out from FIG. 22 that the Pe/Pw ratio should be smaller than0.5 for either of the 4- and 10-times velocities and preferablyPe/Pw=0.4-0.5 can allow a wide Pw range. Though it is not illustrated inFIG. 22, when Pe/Pw was larger than 0.6, the jitter values were whollylarge; particularly toward the high values of Pw, the characteristicswere drastically deteriorated. Consequently Pe/Pw=0.43 was selected sothat a wide recording power range could be obtained for either of the 4-and 10-times velocities.

Further, as the recording power, 17 mW was selected for every velocity.

Under this condition, dependence of jitter on α_(i) and β_(m) for the4-, 8- and 10-times velocities was measured once more; the result ofthis measurement is shown in FIG. 23, where retrieving was done at1-times velocity. The optimum range of α_(i) and β_(m) for the 4- and10-times velocities was substantially the same as in FIG. 21,particularly for the 10-times velocity the jitter decreased so that awider range was obtained as α₁ was varied. For the 8-times velocity, theminimum value of jitter was obtained when α_(i)=from 0.4 to 0.5 andβ_(m)=from 0.2 to 0.5.

For the 6-times velocity, the same result was obtained. It turns outfrom these results that according to the medium of this embodiment, whenα_(i)=1 was constant, α_(i) and bm were optimized within a range of 0.25around a reference value of 0.5 for each velocity, thus obtaining anoptimum recording pulse strategy for each velocity. It also turns outthat when α_(i) is constant, a pulse strategy such as to decrease α_(i)further for the lower linear velocity should preferably be used, andβ_(m) should be constant at roughly 0.3 or should increase further forthe lower linear velocity.

To this end, the overwriting characteristics of the EFM random patternwas evaluated when α₁=1, α_(i)=0.25 (2≦i≦m), β_(m)=0.5 for the 4-timesvelocity, α₁=1, α_(i)=0.4, β_(m)=0.3 for the 8-times velocity, α₁=1,α_(i)=0.5 (2≦i≦m), β_(m)=0.3 for the 10-times velocity, Pw=17 mW,Pe/Pw=0.43 for every linear velocity. As a result, 3T jitter of 35 nsecor less, R_(top)=from 16 to 18%, modulation m₁₁=roughly 0.7, andasymmetry of from 0 to 10% were obtained for every linear velocity. Thequality of this signal was such a level that the signal could beretrieved at a low error rate by a retrieving system read-compatiblewith the existing CD-RW.

It was demonstrated that such recording pulse strategy could be realizedwith ease by a recording pulse generator circuit designed based on thecurrent specifications. Thus with the existing technology, thisrecording pulse strategy is suitable for recording at the 4-, 6-, 8- and10-times velocity in CLV method.

On the other hand, when α₁=1 at the 10-times velocity, namely, whenα₁T=23.1 ns and α₁ was varied such that this time length would becomeconstant at each velocity, α₁=0.4 at the 4-times velocity and α₁=0.8 atthe 8-times velocity. FIG. 24 shows the dependence of 3T jitter on α₁(2≦i≦m) and β_(m) when α₁=1 at the 10-times velocity and α₁=0.4 at the8-times velocity, where retrieving was done at 1-times velocity. HerePe/Pw=0.43 and Pw=17 mW for each of the 4-, 8- and 10-times velocities.For the 10-times velocity, the condition was the same as in FIG. 21.Namely, at the 10-times velocity, α_(i)=from 0.45 to 0.55 andβ_(m)=roughly 0.3, and the jitter was minimal likewise in FIG. 21. Hereα_(i)=from 0.35 to 0.45 and β_(m)=from 0.3 to 0.5 at the 8-timesvelocity, and α_(i)=0.2 or more (up to 0.3 as actually measured) andβ_(m)=approximately 0.3 or more (up to 0.65 as actually measured) at the4-times velocity, and the jitter was minimal was obtained.

Assuming that, for each of the 4-, 8- and 10-times velocities, withα_(i)T=23.1 nsec and α_(i)T=11.6 nsec (2≦i≦m), both kept constant,β_(m)=0.3 is constant or β_(m) is increased stepwise for the lowerlinear velocities, namely, β_(m)=0.5 at the 4-times velocity, β_(m)=0.35at the 8-times velocity and β_(m)=0.3 at the 10-times velocity, it ispossible to make good overwriting in the range of from the 4- to10-times velocities.

Thus the medium of this embodiment enables a wide variety ofapplications that can cope with any of the recording pulse strategies ofCAV method proposed by the present invention.

With reference to the result of FIG. 24, the following descriptionfocues on the recording pulse strategies suitable to CAV method in whichα_(i)T=23.1 nsec and αiT=11.6 nsec are constant.

Further, the disc was rotated at approximately 2,000 r.p.m. in CAV modein a way that the velocity in the position of the radius 23 mm would bejust the 4-times velocity. The outermost track of the recording area wasapproximately 58 mm in radius where the linear velocity wasapproximately the 10-times velocity.

While the linear velocity and data reference clock period on theindividual radius were varied as shown in Table-6, a CD-read-compatiblesignal was recorded in CAV mode. m=n−1, Pw=17 mW, Pe/Pw=0.43, α₁T=23.1nsec, α_(i)T=11.6 nsec (2≦i≦m, all constant) were constant on everyradius. Only bm was varied commensurate with the linear velocity.Namely, bm=0.3 on the outermost track at the 10-times velocity, bm=0.5on the innermost track at the 4-times velocity, and the intermediatevalues were univocally interpolated on the intermediate track (linearvelocity).

Likewise the recording pulse strategy for each radius was shown inTable-6 in terms of a ratio value, i.e. α₁, α_(i), β_(m), with respectto the (data reference) clock period T.

Table-6 additionally shows 3T jitter, modulation and asymmetry duringretrieving of the recorded EFM random signal at the 1-times velocity.The reflectivity R_(top) was constant at roughly 18% for every radius.And deviations in mark length of each mark and in inter-mark length wereless than ±40 nsec, which was good result. The push-pull signal andwobble signal were determined by the groove geometry in the substrateand were obtained as the same values as the existing CD-RW. TABLE 6 3TClock space Radius Veloc- Period jetter Modu- Asym- (mm) m/s ity (ns) α₁α_(i) β_(m) (ns) lation metry 22.5 4.8 4 57.8 0.40 0.20 0.50 20.4 0.6800.027 25.3 5.4 4.5 51.3 0.45 0.23 0.48 20.3 0.678 0.015 28.1 6 5 46.20.50 0.25 0.47 19.8 0.668 0.000 30.9 6.6 5.5 42 0.55 0.28 0.45 19 0.669−0.010 33.8 7.2 6 38.5 0.60 0.30 0.43 18.7 0.671 −0.018 36.6 7.8 6.535.5 0.65 0.33 0.42 18.3 0.662 −0.024 39.4 8.4 7 33 0.70 0.35 0.40 18.40.660 −0.035 42.2 9 7.5 30.8 0.75 0.38 0.38 17.9 0.655 −0.049 45.0 9.6 828.9 0.80 0.40 0.37 18.3 0.653 −0.056 47.8 10.2 8.5 27.2 0.85 0.43 0.3519.2 0.654 −0.070 50.6 10.8 9 25.7 0.90 0.45 0.33 20.1 0.647 −0.075 53.411.4 9.5 24.3 0.95 0.48 0.32 21.7 0.636 −0.083 56.3 12 10 23.1 1.00 0.500.30 22.9 0.628 −0.096

As is understood from Table-6, an extremely simple recording pulsestrategy could cover a wide range of linear velocities so that recordingby CAV method to meet approximately 4-times velocity on the innermosttrack was realized. If access was made to an address on a differentradius, without changing r.p.m. or by adjusting only the clock period bmof the recording pulse strategy, it is possible to make recording withthe recording power kept constant, improving the access performanceremarkably.

Even if bm=0.3 is constant, the degree of deterioration of the jitter atthe 4- through 6-times velocities is at most 2-3 nsec, so recording byCAV method is possible.

On the medium of this embodiment, an EFM random pattern was recorded bythe recording method suitable to the above-mentioned CAV at the 4- and10-times velocities, after which the medium was placed in an environmentof 80° C./85% for 500 hours, whereupon the recorded signal was measuredonce again; as a result, substantially no variation was found in jitter,deviation, R_(top), and modulation. The modulation in particularremained 90% or more of the initial value.

Further, for the 4- and 10-times velocities, using the tester 2 andemploying the recording pulse strategies shown in Table-5 at therespective linear velocities, under Pw=18 mW, Pe/Pw=0.5, Pb=0.8 mW,overwriting was repeatedly carried out. After overwriting 1,000 times,the 3T space jitter during retrieving at the 1-times velocity was lessthan 35 nsec, showing good repeat overwriting durability.

Several discs with the same composition and thicknesses and then thesame overwriting characteristics as embodimenet 11 were prepared andvarious initializing conditions for each disc was applied.

Focused laser light with long-axis (along radial direction) ofapproximately 100 μm, short-axis (along circumferential direction) ofapproximately 1.3 μm irradiated and initialized the recording layerthrough substrate, by changing scanning speed of laser beam to the discfrom 2, 2.5, 3, 7 10 m/s for each disc. Laser beam was moved alongradial direction approximately 50 μm per one revolution. Initializinglaser power was chosen between 500-1,500 mW so that melt-erasinginitialization could be realized at each speed and the value ofabove-mentioned formula (F1) was below 10%. The discs initialized at 10m/s showed significant low reflectivity of R2, in which the racordinglayer was partially amorphized after melting.

For the other discs, EFM random pattern was initially recorded, and onetime overwriting and 10 times overwritten at 10 m/s using tester 2 andthe same recording condition as the case of 56.3 mm in Table-6.

For all scanning speed between 2-7 m/s, 3T space jitter at initialrecording and after 10 times overwriting were 18-22 nsec and 20-25 nsec,respectively, where no significant dependency on the scanning speed ininitialization was observed.

In contract, 3T space jitter at 1st (one time) overwriting for the discsinitialized at 2 m/s, 2.5 m/s, 3 m/s, and 7 m/s was 45 nsec, 33 nsec, 28nsec, and 23 nsec, respectively. The jitter increased after 1stoverwriting was through to be due to a difference in crystallinestructure, size, and/or orientation between initialized and erasedstates, and after 10 times overwriting, almost all portions becomeerased state so that the jitter could be reduced. From this viewpoint,scanning speed at initialization is preferably 2-7 m/s.

Embodiment 12

On the medium of Embodiment 11, overwriting was tried at the 1-timesvelocity (1.2 m/s, T=231 ns) and the 2-times velocity (2.4 m/s, T=116nsec) with α₁T=23.1 nsec and α_(i)T=11.6 nsec (2≦i≦m−1) being kept thesame in figures as in Table-6. Pw=17 mW and Pe/Pw=0.43 mW were the samein figures as in Table-6 for either linear velocity. Further, studieswere made also when α₁=1 was fixed and α_(i) (2≦i≦m) and β_(m) wereoptimized for the individual linear velocities. At that time, the r.p.m.of the disc was adjusted in the recording radial position ofapproximately 40 mm in a way that the linear velocity became the 1- and2-times velocities in the above-mentioned radial position. The values of3T jitter, β_(m), modulation and asymmetry, when retrieving was carriedout at the 1-times velocity, are shown in Table-7, likewise in Table-6.

In each method, when β_(m) was adjusted, good overwriting was possible.TABLE 7 3T clock space veloc- period jitter Modu- Asym- m/s ity (ns) α₁α_(i) β_(m) (ns) lation metry 1.2 1 231 0.10 0.05 1.2 20.8 0.70 −0.0051.2 1 231 1 0.1 2 23.0 0.70 0.033 2.4 2 116 0.20 0.10 1 19.8 0.70 −0.0262.4 2 116 1 0.15 1 22.0 0.66 −0.036Further, on the medium of Embodiment 11, using the tester 2, overwritingwas carried out at the 12-times velocity (14.4 m/s, T=19.3 nsec).Employing the recording pulse strategies that m=n−1, α_(i)=0.5,β_(m)=0.3, α_(i)+β_(i-1)=1 (2≦i≦m), Pw=18 mW, Pe/Pw=0.4, overwriting wascarried out 10 times, whereupon retrieving was made at the 1-timesvelocity.

When 3T space jitter was 29.3 nsec, 11T space jitter was 31.8 nsec,modulation was 0.61, and asymmetry was 0.093, good overwriting waspossible.

In the above-mentioned embodiments, the disc was manufactured in thefollowing manner, and recording on the disc was carried out:

On the substrate same as above, a lower protective layer of(ZnS)₈₀(SiO₂)₂₀, a recording layer of In3Ge5Sb72Te20, an upperprotective layer of (ZnS)₈₀(Si₂)₂₀, a reflective layer of anAl_(97.5)Ta_(2.5) (volume resistivity: 270 nΩ·m and sheet resistivity:1.1 Ω/□) and a UV-curable resin layer were deposited 97 nm, 20 nm, 40nm, 250 nm and approximately 4 mm, respectively in film thickness inthis sequence. Thus a rewritable compact disc (CD-RW) was obtained. Theoverwriting characteristics was evaluated in the same manner as inEmbodiment 2. FIG. 33 shows the result of this evaluation.

As shown in FIG. 33, the areas of above-mentioned CD-RW where the jitteris 17 nsec or less is extremely narrow and the areas cannot cover thewide range of 4- through 8-times velocities.

According to the present invention, it is possible to realize high-speedrecording at the 8-times or faster velocity with retaining aread-compatibility with the conventional CD-RW specifications at atleast the 4-times velocity. Further, it is possible to increase therecording speed and data transfer rate of CD-RW so that a wide varietyof CD-RW applications can be guaranteed as bulk data recording such asmusic and video and an external storage device of computer.

Also according to the present invention, it is possible to make CAV-moderecording on CD-RW that has hitherto been recordable only in CLV mode,reducing power consumption of the drive remarkably and improving theaccess and seek performance of CD-RW medium by a considerable degree. Inaddition, since random access packet recording can be performedefficiently, it is possible to far increase the performance of themedium as an external storage device of computer.

1-48. (canceled)
 49. A method of recording EFM-modulated information interms of different mark lengths on a rewritable disc-shaped opticalrecording medium having a phase-change recording layer by CLV (constantlinear velocity) operation, an individual recorded mark has a timelength nT (T is the data reference clock period, and n is an integerwithin a range of from 3 to 11), and for recorded marks, the time length(n−j)T is divided into α₁T, B₁T, α₂T, β₂T, . . . , α_(m)T, β_(m)T (wherem=n−1 or m=n−2) in this sequence so as to satisfy Σ_(i)(α_(i)+β_(i))=n−j (j is a real number within a range of 0.0≦j≦2.0), saidmethod comprising the steps of: irradiating inter-mark portions with arecording light of erasure power Pe, which is able to crystallize anamorphous-state portion; irradiating the recording layer with arecording light of recording power Pw (Pw>Pe), which is able to melt therecording layer within the time length α_(i)T (1≦i≦m); and irradiatingthe recording layer with a recording light of bias power Pb (0<Pb≦0.5Pe)within the time length β_(i)T (1≦i≦m) to overwrite; and wherein when alinear velocity within a range of 1.2 m/s to 1.4 m/s is the referencevelocity (1-times velocity) and 231 nsec (ns) is a reference clockperiod, (1) for the 4-times velocity, α₁=from 0.3 to 1.5, α_(i)=from 0.2to 0.7 (2≦i≦m), α_(i)+β_(i-1)=from 1 to 1.5 (3≦i≦m), (2) for the 1- orthe 2-times velocity, α₁=from 0.05 to 1.0, α_(i)=from 0.05 to 0.5(2≦i≦m), α_(i)+β_(i-1)=from 1 to 1.5 (3≦i≦m) and (3) for any of 6-, 8-,10- and 12-times velocities, α₁=from 0.3 to 2, α_(i)=from 0.3 to 1(2≦i≦m), α_(i)+β_(i-1)=from 1 to 1.5 (3≦i≦m), wherein for any of thedescribed linear velocity in use, m is only one of n−1 or n−2, and eachof α₁T, α_(i)T (wherein i=2˜m), and α_(i)+β_(i-1) is constant (where iis an integer within a range of from 3 to m); wherein for any of thedescribed linear velocity in use, β_(m)=from 0 to 1.5, and β_(m) isconstant for every linear velocity, or is increased more for the lowerlinear velocity.
 50. A recording method according to claim 49,α₁=approximately 1, α_(i)=from 0.3 to 0.6 (where i is an integer withina range of from 2 to m), and α_(i)+β_(i-1) is constant (where i is aninteger within a range of from 3 to m), and α_(i) is monotonicallyreduced for the lower linear velocity (where i is an integer within arange of from 2 to m).
 51. A recording method according to claim 50,wherein for any of the described linear velocity in use, m is only oneof n−1 or n−2, and α_(i)+β_(i-1)=approximately 1 for every i (where i isan integer within a range of from 2 to m).
 52. A recording methodaccording to claim 51, wherein α_(i)/α₁=from 0.3 to 0.7 (where i is aninteger within a range of from 2 to m).
 53. A recording method accordingto claim 49, wherein for any of the described linear velocity in use,each of α_(i)T (1≦i≦m) and β_(i)T (1≦i≦m−1) is 10 ns or more.
 54. Amethod of recording various mark and inter-mark lengths in terms ofEFM-modulated information on a rewritable disc-shaped optical recordingmedium having a predetermined recording area by CAV (constant angularvelocity) operation, in which the recording medium is rotated at aconstant angular velocity, when a linear velocity within a range of from1.2 m/s to 1.4 m/s is a reference velocity (1-times velocity), thedisc-shaped optical recording medium is rotated in a way that a linearvelocity at an outermost periphery of the recording area is as high as10 times of the reference velocity, if a time length of an individualrecorded mark is nT (T is a data reference clock period varyingaccording to its radial position in a way that a product VT (V is alinear velocity in the radial position is constant, and n is an integerwithin a range of from 3 to 11), and for recorded marks, the time length(n−j)T is divided into α₁T, β₁T, α₂T, β₂T, . . . , α_(m)T, β_(m)T (wherem=n−1, α₁/α_(i)=from 0.3 to 0.7 (i is an integer within a range of from2 to m), α_(i)+β_(i-1)=approximately 1 (3≦i≦m) in this sequence so as tosatisfy Σ_(i)(α_(i)+β_(i))=n−j (j is a real number within a range of0.0≦j≦2.0), said method comprising the steps of: irradiating inter-markportions with a recording light of erasure power Pe, which is able tocrystallize an amorphous-state portion; irradiating the recording layerwithin the time length α_(i)T (1≦i≦m), with a recording light, whoserecord power Pw (Pw>Pe) is enough to melt said recording layer; andirradiating the recording layer within the time length β_(i)T (1≦i≦m),with a recording light of bias power Pb (0<Pb≦0.5Pe), and wherein eachof α_(i)T (i=from 2 to m) and α_(i)+β_(i-1) (i=from 3 to m) is constantfor any radial position; wherein said recording area of said rewritabledisc-shaped optical recording medium is divided into a plurality ofvirtual zones for every radial position, β_(m)=from 0 to 1.5, and β_(m)is monotonically increased for the radially inner zone.
 55. The methodof recording according to claim 54, wherein said rewritable disc-shapedoptical recording medium is a rewritable compact disc (CD-RW) in whichat least a radius ranging from 23 to 58 mm is defined as said recordingarea.
 56. The method of recording according to claim 54, wherein each ofα_(i)T (1≦i≦≦m) and β_(i)T (1≦i≦m) is 10 ns or more for any radialposition.
 57. The method of recording according to claim 56, wherein forany linear velocity in use, a value of each of Pb, Pw, and Pe/Pw issubstantially constant.
 58. The method of recording according to claim54, wherein said rewritable disc-shaped optical recording medium has ona substrate a wobble groove having a wobble signal whose frequency ismodulated by ±1 kHz according to ATIP (absolute time in pre-groove)information with a carrier frequency of approximately 22.05 kHz in termsof the frequency at the 1-times velocity, said carrier frequency isdetected while said rewritable disc-shaped optical recording medium isrotated at a constant angular velocity, and a data reference clockaccording to a disc radius is obtained by multiplying the detectedfrequency with 196, and an ATIP (absolute time in pre-groove) signal,which is the ATIP information, is detected, and a data reference clock,which is in synchronism with a synchronization pattern in the detectedATIP signal and a disc rotation, is obtained.
 59. The method ofrecording according claim 54, wherein said rewritable disc-shapedoptical recording medium has on a substrate a wobble groove that has awobble signal, whose frequency is modulated by ±1 kHz according to ATIPinformation with a carrier frequency of approximately 22.05 kHz in termsof the frequency at the 1-times velocity, and also clock marks arrangedalong the groove at a repeating frequency in a range of from 2 to 8times of 22.05 kHz, and the individual clock mark is detected while saidrewritable disc-shaped optical recording medium is rotated at a constantangular velocity, and a data reference clock is obtained by multiplyingsaid repeating frequency of the clock mark with a predeterminedmultiplier.
 60. The method of recording according to claim 54, whereinsaid wobble groove has a wobble signal, whose carrier frequency isconstant when the linear velocity is constant, and also has addressinformation and a synchronization pattern in terms of whether the wobbleis modulated in phase or whether a specified position is devoid ofwobble, and said carrier frequency is detected while said rewritabledisc-shaped optical recording medium is rotated at a constant angularvelocity, and a data reference clock is obtained by multiplying thedetected frequency with a predetermined multiplier.
 61. The method ofrecording according to claim 54, wherein said rewritable disc-shapedoptical recording medium has absolute time information in terms of asub-code Q channel signal recorded previously in the entire recordingarea as an EFM-modulated signal, and said EFM-modulated signal isdetected while said rewritable disc-shaped optical recording medium isrotated at a constant angular velocity, and a data reference clock andaddress information are obtained from said EFM modulated signal.
 62. Themethod of recording according to claim 54, wherein said rewritabledisc-shaped optical recording medium has a block data structureaccording to CD-ROM specifications recorded previously in the entirerecording area as EFM-modulated signal, and said EFM-modulated signal isdetected while said rewritable disc-shaped optical recording medium isrotated at a constant angular velocity, and a data reference clock andaddress information are obtained from the detected EFM-modulated signal.63. The method of recording according to claim 54, wherein recording andretrieving to and from an information area are made at the same angularvelocity.
 64. The method of recording according to claim 54, whereinα₁T=T_(top)+α₁′T, each of T_(top) and α₁′ being constant irrespective ofthe linear velocity.